Noah Kahan Shares the Personal Story Behind His New Single ‘The Great Divide’ and Its Meaningful Video

NEED TO KNOW

• Noah Kahan discusses his new single “The Great Divide.”
• The artist will partner with Mastercard to debut a teaser for the song’s music video during the 2026 Grammy Awards.
• Kahan elaborates on the song’s inspiration and the creative vision behind the music video.

Noah Kahan’s 2022 album, Stick Season, marked a pivotal moment in his career. The release of its viral title track propelled him to newfound fame, earning critical acclaim and significantly expanding his fan base.

Despite his professional success, Kahan faced personal struggles with feelings of disconnection from friends, family, and himself. This introspection led to the creation of “The Great Divide,” his first new single in over a year, set to release on January 30.

“My life had changed so much and I felt this real gap growing,” Kahan told PEOPLE. He will premiere a teaser for the song’s music video in collaboration with Mastercard during the 2026 Grammy Awards broadcast. “I started to think about divide in my life, whether that was the divide between me and this old version of me, or me and the people that I used to know growing up.”

At 29 years old, Kahan reflects on the sentiments expressed in “The Great Divide,” particularly the conversations he wishes he could have had with those closest to him.

Noah Kahan.

Christopher Polk/@polkimaging

“This song in particular is really about two people who grew up together, but maybe didn’t know each other as well as they thought,” Kahan explained. “A lot of my life recently has been realizing the things I wish I could have said to people and the things I wish I could have done differently, and so this song is kind of just an expansion of that.”

Kahan revealed that his upcoming fourth album, The Great Divide, set for release on April 24, features a visually compelling music video for the single, co-produced with Mastercard. He notes that this video is his first narrative-focused work, which will air during Mastercard’s dedicated commercial spot at the Grammys.

“For this album and for this song in particular, there are so many characters and so much narrative complexity to the story that I wanted to find a way to bring the two worlds together,” he said. “A big part of the writing process for me is honoring the stories.” He highlighted plans with director Parker to depict character evolution over time in a unique gas station setting, symbolizing the complexities of friendship.

Kahan described the entire production experience as surreal, humorously comparing it to HBO’s The Rehearsal, a series that delves into preparatory conversations for emotionally heavy events.

Noah Kahan.

Christopher Polk/@polkimaging

“I’m filming scenes and I’m watching these actors live out these characters I’ve built in my head, and it’s just so trippy,” Kahan said. “With my music, I always try to put some of myself and some of my friends into the songs, but without having it be them. So watching these actors be like their own little friend group has been really interesting.”

Kahan has performed “The Great Divide” live since 2024, and anticipation for his new album has been mounting. In December, he introduced a mysterious TikTok account called The Last of the Bugs, referencing a lyric from his song “Everywhere, Everything.”

Through this account, Kahan has been teasing unreleased music, including “The Great Divide” and a track seemingly titled “Porch Light.”

“It’s been fun. I think the fans have been waiting forever. They have to wait a little longer, but I’m also ready to go,” he remarked. “It’s been enjoyable giving little hints. The Last of the Bugs is definitely tied into the album themes around insects, bugs, and change.”

Kahan emphasizes that connecting with his fans is a key part of his work. He commended Mastercard for enhancing the fan experience tied to his new music and hinted at various projects in collaboration with the company.

To coincide with the video premiere, Mastercard is launching a sweepstakes offering fans the chance to unlock a series of Priceless Experiences. Participants can search for Easter eggs in “The Great Divide” music video for a chance to win several prizes, including a listening party with Kahan.

“We’re going to have lots of different fun, really unique fan-driven experiences,” he shared. “I can’t touch on what, but there will be some really cool live experiences, both big and intimate.”