Noah Kahan Parents and Siblings: Everything About the Singer’s Family Life
Noah Kahan’s parents, Lauri Berkenkamp and Josh Kahan, have played an important role in shaping the Grammy-nominated singer’s life and music. The family has attracted renewed attention in 2026 following the release of Kahan’s documentary, Noah Kahan: Out of Body, which explores his upbringing, complicated family relationships, and emotional struggles. The film features both parents and offers a closer look at the experiences that influenced the singer behind “Stick Season” and “Northern Attitude.”
Born on January 1, 1997, Kahan grew up in Vermont alongside three siblings. His mother worked as an author, while his father pursued a career in information technology and maintained a strong interest in music. Although his parents separated during the COVID-19 pandemic, Kahan has continued to acknowledge their influence on his personal life and musical success.
Who Are Noah Kahan’s Parents?
Noah Kahan was born to Lauri Berkenkamp and Josh Kahan, who raised their four children in New England. The family initially lived in Strafford, Vermont, before spending time in Hanover, New Hampshire.
His parents came from different religious backgrounds. Josh is Jewish, while Lauri is Christian. Kahan has spoken openly about growing up in a household where different traditions were part of everyday life.
Both parents also had creative interests that influenced their children. Lauri was an established writer, while Josh enjoyed playing music and encouraged Noah to learn guitar.
The family eventually returned to Strafford, where Josh built a house on their property. The surrounding countryside later became an important source of inspiration for Kahan’s songwriting.
Who Is Noah Kahan’s Mother, Lauri Berkenkamp?
Lauri Berkenkamp is an American author and communications professional who has written books about parenting, childhood development, and family relationships.
Her published work includes Because I Said So!: Family Squabbles & How to Handle Them, which explores common challenges parents experience while raising children.
She later developed a professional career in communications and has worked at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire.
Beyond her professional achievements, Lauri played a major role in encouraging Noah’s early interest in songwriting.
When he began writing songs around the age of eight, she listened to his compositions and offered constructive feedback.
Kahan has explained that his mother did not automatically praise everything he created. Instead, she encouraged him to improve his lyrics and think carefully about the stories he wanted to tell.
Her honesty helped him develop confidence in his writing abilities.
Lauri also introduced him to musicians such as Paul Simon, Cat Stevens, and Counting Crows, whose storytelling influenced his musical interests.
Who Is Noah Kahan’s Father, Josh Kahan?
Josh Kahan has a professional background in information technology, but music has always been an important part of his life.
He played guitar and introduced Noah to the instrument during childhood.
Kahan has recalled performing alongside his father at a retirement home when he was approximately seven years old. That early experience helped him become comfortable performing in front of other people.
Josh also enjoyed endurance sports, including triathlons, and encouraged his children to remain active.
During Noah’s childhood, his father suffered a traumatic brain injury following a bicycle accident.
The incident happened when Noah was in eighth grade and became a difficult experience for the entire family.
Kahan later discussed how the injury affected his father’s personality and changed their relationship.
Despite those challenges, he has continued to recognize his father’s musical influence and the important role he played in his upbringing.
Did Noah Kahan’s Parents Get Divorced?
Noah Kahan’s parents separated during the COVID-19 pandemic, a difficult period that influenced several of his songs. The singer returned to Vermont in 2020 while struggling with professional uncertainty, only to experience major changes within his family.
Kahan has described the separation as emotionally complicated because he was adjusting to adulthood while watching his parents end their marriage.
Although he understood that both were making personal decisions, the experience changed his childhood understanding of family stability.
He later explained that seeing his parents navigate their separation helped him recognize that adults also experience uncertainty and emotional challenges.
Their divorce influenced his songwriting, particularly the themes of family relationships, personal growth, and emotional honesty.
Despite the separation, Kahan has maintained relationships with both parents.
He has also spoken about respecting their decisions and appreciating the effort they made to support their children.
Noah Kahan’s Siblings and Family Background
Noah Kahan grew up with three siblings, including an older brother, an older sister, and a younger brother.
His older sister pursued a medical career, while his older brother became a firefighter. His younger brother has explored opportunities in the technology industry.
Although the siblings followed different professional paths, they remained connected through their shared upbringing.
Kahan has described his family as close, even though its members eventually settled in different parts of New England.
Their childhood included outdoor activities, music, and time spent exploring the wooded landscape surrounding their Vermont home.
These experiences later became recognizable themes in Kahan’s songs.
His connection to his siblings also appears in his documentary, where family members discuss their childhood and the changes they experienced together.
How Noah Kahan’s Parents Influenced His Music
Noah Kahan’s songwriting has always been closely connected to his family experiences.
His mother’s writing background helped him understand storytelling, while his father’s musical interests introduced him to performing.
Growing up in Vermont also influenced the emotional atmosphere of his songs.
The family’s property in Strafford became particularly important when Kahan returned home during the pandemic.
He spent considerable time writing music in a barn on the property, developing material that eventually contributed to his breakthrough album, Stick Season.
Songs such as “Growing Sideways” and “Northern Attitude” explore complicated emotions surrounding family, mental health, and personal relationships.
Kahan has acknowledged that some lyrics may sound critical of his parents, but he has explained that songwriting sometimes involves exaggerating emotions to communicate an experience.
He has also discussed those lyrics with his family and maintained that their relationship remains strong.
Noah Kahan’s Special Bond With His Mother
One of the most memorable moments in Noah Kahan’s career came when he attended the 2024 Grammy Awards with his mother.
Kahan received a nomination for Best New Artist, marking a major achievement after years of building his music career.
Lauri accompanied him to the ceremony and expressed pride in everything he had accomplished.
She remembered watching him write songs as a child and believing that he had the talent to become a successful musician.
Kahan also credited his mother with supporting him during the early years when he performed at small venues with limited audiences.
She regularly drove him to open-mic performances around Vermont and New Hampshire.
Their appearance together at the Grammy Awards showed how closely his professional achievements remained connected to his family.
Noah Kahan’s Relationship With His Parents Today
Noah Kahan continues to maintain meaningful relationships with both Lauri Berkenkamp and Josh Kahan.
His 2026 documentary offered fans a more personal understanding of their family dynamics, including the challenges that followed his father’s injury and his parents’ separation.
Rather than presenting his childhood as entirely happy or difficult, Kahan has acknowledged that both positive and painful experiences helped shape his personality.
His family also encouraged open conversations about mental health, something he has carried into his music and public advocacy.
As his career continues to grow, Kahan remains connected to the Vermont community where he spent his formative years.
For fans wondering about Noah Kahan’s parents, Lauri Berkenkamp and Josh Kahan are more than the people who raised him. Their creativity, encouragement, and personal experiences helped shape the emotional storytelling that eventually made their son an internationally recognized musician.
