The Lumineers’ Wesley Schultz loves Noah Kahan’s ‘confessional lyrics’: ‘A lot of people don’t wanna go there’

The Lumineers have recorded and performed with Noah Kahan on several occasions, and both acts are set to headline the Bourbon & Beyond festival, kicking off Thursday in Louisville, Kentucky.

Speaking with ABC Audio, Lumineers frontman Wesley Schultz shares that he’s drawn to the “humility” in Kahan’s music.

“He’s clearly a really talented singer and a melody-maker,” Schultz says of the “Stick Season” artist. “But I think why people really stay and stick around with his music is ’cause he’s confessional in his lyrics, and a lot of people don’t wanna go there.”

Schultz adds that Kahan’s songwriting impacted his approach to writing the latest Lumineers record, Automatic.

“It kind of made me on this record wanna raise that part of what I was trying to do and say more things that I maybe wouldn’t have said in the past,” Schultz explains. “I was like, ‘Well, I can learn something from this guy who’s younger than me. He’s doing that better. Let’s, like, follow his lead.'”

“[Kahan’s] very generous in saying, ‘This influenced me,'” the “Ho Hey” singer continues. “Well, that can happen both ways, and it happens a lot if you’re open to it.”

As much as Schultz loves Kahan’s personal lyrics, he did offer a piece of advice to him.

“I was like, you know, ‘Make sure you save something for yourself, ’cause you’re really giving everything,'” Schultz recalls. “It’s hard when you give that much, I think his fans really feel like they truly know him as a person.” 

Kahan does seem to be taking Schultz’s advice in one regard: in announcing his recent marriage, a rep says, “We respectfully ask that no additional details, photos or video be shared publicly unless they choose to do so in their own time.”

The Lumineers have recorded and performed with Noah Kahan on several occasions, and both acts are set to headline the Bourbon & Beyond festival, kicking off Thursday in Louisville, Kentucky.

Speaking with ABC Audio, Lumineers frontman Wesley Schultz shares that he’s drawn to the “humility” in Kahan’s music.

“He’s clearly a really talented singer and a melody-maker,” Schultz says of the “Stick Season” artist. “But I think why people really stay and stick around with his music is ’cause he’s confessional in his lyrics, and a lot of people don’t wanna go there.”

Schultz adds that Kahan’s songwriting impacted his approach to writing the latest Lumineers record, Automatic.

“It kind of made me on this record wanna raise that part of what I was trying to do and say more things that I maybe wouldn’t have said in the past,” Schultz explains. “I was like, ‘Well, I can learn something from this guy who’s younger than me. He’s doing that better. Let’s, like, follow his lead.'”

“[Kahan’s] very generous in saying, ‘This influenced me,'” the “Ho Hey” singer continues. “Well, that can happen both ways, and it happens a lot if you’re open to it.”

As much as Schultz loves Kahan’s personal lyrics, he did offer a piece of advice to him.

“I was like, you know, ‘Make sure you save something for yourself, ’cause you’re really giving everything,'” Schultz recalls. “It’s hard when you give that much, I think his fans really feel like they truly know him as a person.” 

Kahan does seem to be taking Schultz’s advice in one regard: in announcing his recent marriage, a rep says, “We respectfully ask that no additional details, photos or video be shared publicly unless they choose to do so in their own time.”