Noah Kahan has released a new single titled "Porch Light," the second track from his forthcoming album The Great Divide, set for release on April 24 via Mercury Records. The song explores the emotional impact of fame on family, written from his mother's perspective. It follows the album's title track, shared in January.
Noah Kahan's latest single, "Porch Light," marks the second preview from his upcoming album The Great Divide. The track was co-written by Kahan and producer Aaron Dessner during their initial collaboration, with production handled by Kahan, Dessner, and Gabe Simon. Recording took place at Dessner's Long Pond Studio in Hudson, New York, and Gold Pacific Studios in Nashville.
A press release indicates that the song draws inspiration from the emotional burden Kahan believes he placed on his family through the personal disclosures in his previous album, Stick Season. In the lyrics, sung from his mother's viewpoint, Kahan conveys concern over fame's toll: “I hope you tell me that you’re winding down/ That you’ve lost the taste to face the crowd/ That whatever made you famous made you sick/ That you can only do what pain allows/ It ain’t up to you to make it out/ And there ain’t no shame in callin’ this thing quits.”
The Great Divide was composed and recorded in various settings, including alongside a piano in Nashville, near a pond in Guilford, Vermont, in a historic studio in upstate New York, and on a farm with a firetower in Only, Tennessee. This album serves as the successor to Stick Season, released in 2022, which garnered Kahan a Best New Artist nomination at the 2024 Grammy Awards.
To promote The Great Divide, Kahan has scheduled a 30-date summer tour, beginning with shows on June 11 and 12 in Orlando and concluding on August 31 in Seattle. The itinerary includes stops in Philadelphia, Toronto, Boston, Chicago, New York, Washington DC, Los Angeles, and Vancouver, featuring four performances at Boston’s Fenway Park. Gigi Perez will open all dates, with Annabelle Dinda joining for most shows.
Additionally, Kahan's documentary Noah Kahan: Out of Body is slated to premiere on March 16 at SXSW, followed by a release on Netflix.