In reviewing Laufey‘s August live performance with the LA Philharmonic, Selection wrote, “Laufey looks like she was born to play the Hollywood Bowl, along with her rapturously acquired pop/jazz/classical set.” One thing else she may need been born for: the massive display screen. She’s on Imax screens throughout America this weekend (and a few barely much less massive-scale ones as nicely) with “Laufey’s A Evening on the Symphony: Hollywood Bowl.” And director Sam Wrench‘s prolonged use of closeups establishes that she’s as expressive an actress, in her style, as she is a singer, guitarist, pianist and cellist.

It’s weekend for Wrench, who additionally directed the Sabrina Carpenter vacation particular that’s premiering on Netflix the identical day because the Laufey live performance movie is bowing in theaters… and previous yr for him, really, since he additionally did Taylor Swift’s “Eras Tour” movie. However Laufey herself is having fairly the yr, having received her first Grammy, for finest conventional pop vocal album for “Bewitched,” to not point out a sold-out tour that discovered her enjoying Lollapalooza with a symphony orchestra in addition to being the belle of the Bowl.

Coincidental to the discharge of the movie, Selection can be honoring Laufey this weekend because the Crossover Artist of the 12 months at our Hitmakers occasion, celebrating her combination of jazz and pop leanings and classifications. (See our separate interview with Laufey about her total profession right here: “Laufey on Bridging the Hole Between Conventional Jazz Singing and Gen-Z Pop: Younger Followers ‘Join Extra With a Vibe or an Vitality Than a Style’.”) However we talked extra particularly concerning the Bowl live performance and the ensuing movie with each her and Wrench.

How did it turn out to be clear this was the best time to do a live performance movie, at an earlier level than virtually anyone in music will get that?

Laufey: It was a type of issues that in fact I all the time needed to do, however I felt like I needed to obtain a sure degree to have the ability to do a live performance movie, and I undoubtedly didn’t suppose I’d get there so quickly. It was actually surreal, and I’m so honored to get to do it so early on in my profession as nicely, and with such implausible creatives.

Was there something in Sam’s historical past that made you’re feeling he’d be an incredible match for this? Like, maybe, the obvious factor.

Laufey: I’m fairly a Swifty, so when his identify was delivered to the desk, I used to be like, what? However he had such a potent imaginative and prescient for this. And clearly him having achieved, in my view, the perfect sorts of live performance movies up to now few years, I actually simply wanted somebody that I trusted like that. He has introduced this live performance movie factor to a brand new degree of recognition, which has actually paved the best way for me to have the ability to do it myself. So it was cool to get to do it with him.

Wrench: When Kyle (Heller, the co-founder of Veeps) first known as, he stated that it was her first present on the Hollywood Bowl. And within the context of live performance movies, a primary is just not normally the factor — it’s extra more likely to be the top of the sector tour or in direction of the top of the stadium run. The concept of it being not simply the primary, however one thing that was solely taking place to be shot one night time, was form of attention-grabbing.

How did you resolve how a lot documentary footage to incorporate or not embody, versus simply going straight concert-film? There’s not rather a lot, but it surely’s well-paced and doesn’t break the spell.

Wrench: I knew her music however I didn’t know hundreds about how she’d been doing just a few exhibits with a band set first after which the orchestra afterwards. How these exhibits have been structured was actually attention-grabbing, as a result of I feel it fits cinema very well and offers us the chance to have slightly break, and to have a documentary second through the present’s intermission, with out it needing to be forwards and backwards. I’ve all the time actually struggled with live performance movies and the way, should you begin the documentary, then you need to maintain coming again out and in of it, and it form of disrupts the live performance. This had this pure break.

Laufey: A part of the intention of getting a number of cameras backstage too, and doing a day of filming outdoors of that to get some interviews, was that I needed to offer followers each a live performance that that’s more durable to deliver to folks — a live performance with a symphony orchestra — to the broader plenty, and particularly to cities that I haven’t been capable of play in but, but in addition to offer folks a view of what it appears like backstage. There’s an interview with my dad and mom and my sister and a glance into what the vitality is like backstage, and a little bit of rehearsal footage as nicely. So for many who have been capable of go to a live performance, I needed them to see a little bit of that as nicely, and the way the sausage is made, which is a really unromantic means of claiming it.

The trailer included the half the place the viewers chants “blah, blah, blah” very loudly when that little lyric comes up throughout “From the Begin.”

Laufey: It’s turn out to be a really signature a part of the live performance, and one thing that folks look ahead to, ready all night time to have the ability to scream out that one bit. So it was cute.

I used to be in attendance on the Hollywood Bowl present that was filmed, and I used to be simply considering again to that night time. I’ve seen you in possibly 4 totally different settings now. And I’ve seen it with an viewers that’s extraordinarily noisy and vocal of their response, and I’ve seen it with an viewers that’s simply rapt and silent. After which…

Laufey: This felt just like the in-between, don’t you agree? And it was attention-grabbing, since you had these LA Phil and Hollywood Bowl subscribers sitting within the entrance who have been hopefully getting launched to my music and hopefully having fun with it. However the seats within the again — the cheaper seats, if you’ll — have been crammed with extra of the form of like very fervent fan base. So it was actually a enjoyable combine. I actually do really feel like I can serve each audiences, and I’ve typically felt cut up between what I can do and who I’m right here to serve. And I felt like, that night time, I actually was capable of serve each of these audiences that I relate to.

After I first noticed you in live performance on the Ford final yr, which was additionally with the LA Phil, I anticipated it to be an older viewers, simply due to the character of the music, and it was a shock for me then to appreciate how younger most of your crowd is. However then, seeing how immediately your exhibits promote out, it occurred to me: Possibly you do have that older demographic, to some extent, however not one of the older folks get the tickets as a result of they’re slower on the draw than your youthful followers who know how you can be poised and prepared for the second they go on sale.

Laufey: I feel I’m even too previous to be up in opposition to youngsters in a battle for tickets like that. Like, I don’t even understand how they do this.

So there may be an viewers for this movie that loves you, or not less than likes you, however would simply by no means have a shot on the stay present with out being super-dedicated concerning the on-sale or keen to pay secondary market.

Wrench: There was clearly a much bigger viewers for it that hadn’t been capable of get tickets. After I first spoke to her workforce, I discovered about how her merch gross sales are by means of the roof compared to virtually every other artist. And so I feel there was this actual understanding that there was a requirement for folks to wish to go and have interaction extra within the Laufey story. Reside music in cinemas continues to nonetheless be a extremely attention-grabbing factor — it will get cracked, it will get uncracked, it really works, and it’s actually about discovering a group that may help it. Laufey followers are so supportive, and theres such a dedication that they’re use it to introduce htheir family and friends and companions to stay it and benefit from the expertise.

And so I feel with that in thoughts, once more, it was a novel proposition as a result of it wasn’t this area tour that had been out for 60 days. And hopefully after we begin to determine exhibits that may very well be captured for cinema, we’ll be extra distinctive propositions like this. I give a large due to Trafalgar and Veeps for supporting it and saying, hey, we actually suppose there’s one thing right here, we should always take it — as a result of these should not low-cost endeavors to do. There’s all the time a danger. And the preliminary response has been so nice.

Laufey: I’ve been touring all yr, and it looks like I performed 1,000,000 concert events, but it surely looks like I might play 1,000,000 extra. There’s so many cities that I haven’t been capable of play in and so many individuals that I haven’t been capable of attain. Even should you’re in the best metropolis, live performance tickets may be costly, and getting there may be powerful. And a few of these children are younger — they’ve homework! I feel this can be a enjoyable means to have the ability to expertise the live performance in a extra accessible means and nonetheless hopefully have the ability to be amongst different followers and form of breathe within the air of the group.

However I feel an important half, for me, was that this can be a live performance with a symphony orchestra. And that could be a world that I used to be so privileged to develop up inside. My mom’s a violinist. I grew up mainly inside the partitions of the Iceland Symphony, and it has knowledgeable each single a part of who I’m, and it’s the motive I’m a musician. To have the ability to deliver it again to the place all my musical influences come from, and to that sound, is one thing that’s extra-hard to deliver to audiences.

Like, out of all of the concert events I’ve performed this yr, I feel solely possibly 5 of them have been with an orchestra. Most have been with simply the band, which is so enjoyable as nicely, but it surely’s getting rarer to see younger folks on the symphony, and more durable and more durable to entry it and to have the ability to deliver it to younger audiences and to my audiences on this very accessible means. This colourful world of the orchestra was actually essential to me, simply as a musician, simply fully outdoors of myself. I feel it’s hopefully inspiring for different younger musicians to see.

Numerous youthful musicians, once they get to play the Hollywood Bowl for the primary time, they may speak about remembering the primary rock present they noticed there, or one thing. You point out this within the commentary that’s included within the movie, however your first Bowl live performance was a Mozart live performance. However on the similar time, you speak about how the again sections are cool — that it’s a celebration within the again. So I used to be simply imagining younger Laufey, up within the nosebleeds, partying to Mozart up there.

I’m all the time partying to Mozart.

Are you able to speak, Sam, concerning the model of the shoot? I do know from watching the stay Imax live performance you probably did with Brandi Carlile that you simply like lengthy takes in some cases, since you used one shot for every tune in that present. You even have a whole lot of lengthy takes in Laufey’s movie. It’s not pumping up the vitality with pointless cuts; it feels as relaxed because it ought to.

Wrench: We by no means struggled through the shoot to search out that degree of intimacy and that authenticity. And after we received to the edit, it was the identical. It was simply very clearly there from the night time, and I feel the vitality of the night time comes throughout as a result of it was only one night time. It wasn’t like we needed to put all these nights collectively to attempt to make one thing superior. .I don’t suppose the job of a live performance filmmaker is there to attempt to painting one thing that didn’t occur or to offer it an vitality that isn’t there. When the music is the king, the music is the factor you observe and also you let that form of dictate every part. However actually, my job was pretty simple. It’s such an incredible live performance. Everybody loved it. We pointed some cameras, and right here we’re.

Simply belief the music — don’t attempt to overcome it. Nobody desires a filmmaker’s hand on this. … To me, the music felt tremendous floaty. It felt prefer it had scale, but it surely additionally had intimacy, And the orchestra have been these like little moments, these little plucks…  It’s clearly the sound that comes from them as an entire, however the little particulars of the harp or the flute all the time felt actually enjoyable to me. And so it was identical to, let’s have every part form of shifting and floaty and wonderful, after which let’s go in for these little moments as particulars, however come again to Laufey and the intimacy and the way she form of floats throughout the stage, virtually.

Do both of you may have a favourite tune within the movie, both due to the efficiency, or the best way it labored cinematically?

Wrench: It’s undoubtedly Junia’s second [when Laufey is joined by her twin sister, a violin player, for a light-hearted duo number]. That second simply fels like two sisters which are having this expertise and, as distinctive because the live performance is, that’s actually distinctive. And you’ve got the dimensions of the drone shot, and then you definately simply have the 2 of them strolling round on stage… I’ve by no means seen that earlier than.

Laufey: It’s so exhausting to discover a favourite second as a result of the entire thing looks like one second in my head. I feel “Letter to My 13-12 months-Previous Self” felt very emotional in that second, as a result of I cried slightly bit. I’m not gonna lie. I don’t cry once I sing as a result of I’m simply so centered, however seeing myself like that, I received slightly bit emotional throughout “Letter to My 13-12 months-Previous Self” simply because I used to be simply imagining that youthful model of myself and the way I’d have liked to know that I’d get to do one thing like this.

After which I actually love the form of swingy orchestra moments as nicely, the place I form of simply dance, and I actually can not assist myself. There’s no choreographer; it’s simply me and my bizarre dance strikes, with me in a gown. I couldn’t cover any of myself throughout this live performance or change something for this. As soon as I’m on stage, I’m simply precisely who I’m all the time on stage. Like, there’s no strategy to management it, even when there’s a humorous look  or bizarre smile, or some phrase that I say. I step onto the stage and I simply turn out to be this stage model of myself that I’ve no management of.

I even discovered myself being on edge throughout a few of these orchestra moments as a result of, you recognize, we’re not enjoying to click on. There’s nothing actually rehearsed about it. Like, I’ve by no means performed for that many individuals earlier than. I feel the earlier measurement that I had performed for earlier than that was possibly like Radio Metropolis Music Corridor, like 5,000 folks without delay. So to hastily go to 17,000, you actually received my pure response to that in the entire live performance, whether or not it was slightly nerves to start with to sheer pleasure and pleasure within the later elements. You actually preserved that perpetually, Sam, so thanks for that.

Wrench: You all the time hope these moments will translate, and people appears, and generally there’s an excessive amount of occurring to see them. Some artists and music simply don’t swimsuit these form of longer, excessive close-ups, however this music undoubtedly does… together with the best way that the Bowl and the construction of the stage actually lends itself to with the ability to be fairly tight with out there being cameras actually shut. And so I feel we have been capable of actually see these moments and maintain them a bit longer — see the little blinks and your form of eyes shifting throughout the viewers. And the tempo of the edit means that you can really stay in these moments.

Lastly, Laufey, we’ve talked about the way you wish to do movie music and songs, however seeing your self on on the massive display screen, do you’re feeling snug sufficient with that that it provides you extra confidence about possibly going after performing and issues like that?

Laufey: Yeah, undoubtedly. I imply, I undoubtedly don’t really feel uncomfortable in entrance of a digital camera, and I feel I actually found it that night time. I used to be form of questioning if it could faze me, however the digital camera form of simply blends into the viewers virtually.

I feel it may very well be actually thrilling. I’m undoubtedly slightly extra centered on music proper now and having a whole lot of enjoyable bringing these tales to life, as a result of I form of see each single considered one of my songs as slightly film. That’s why they’re very descriptive and fairly literal, as a result of I would like listeners to have the ability to shut their eyes and instantly perceive and know the place they’re. And as for writing music for movie, that’s one thing I’ve all the time dreamt of. And and my love for music actually does come from watching previous movies rising up, and listening to all these previous movie scores, these previous Hollywood strings. Shout out to Spencer (Stewart, her writing and producing collaborator) You actually hear a whole lot of that affect within the music, and within the songwriting as nicely. So it’s one thing I undoubtedly wish to to work on sooner or later.

Mark Withers, a tv actor identified for portraying Ted Dinard within the unique “Dynasty” collection, died Nov. 22. He was 77.

Mark Withers’ dying was confirmed by his daughter, Jessie Withers. The trigger was pancreatic most cancers.

His daughter remembered him fondly, writing: “He confronted his sickness with the identical power and dignity he delivered to his craft, making a legacy of heat, humor, and dedication, alongside together with his exceptional means to make each function unforgettable. Mark’s enduring expertise and dedication to the trade shall be fondly remembered by colleagues, associates, and followers alike.”

Along with his function as Steven’s boyfriend Ted in “Dynasty,” Withers had visitor appearances on “Surprise Lady,” “Magnum, P.I.,” “The Dukes of Hazzard,” “Hart to Hart,” “Remington Steele,” “Dallas,” “L.A. Regulation,” “Days of Our Lives,” “Matlock,” “Kaz,” “The King of Queens” and “Frasier.”

Lately, he continued his tv profession with roles in “True Blood,” “Prison Minds,” “Sense8,” “Fortress,” “Drop Lifeless Diva,” “Reckless” and “Stranger Issues.” He additionally had varied roles in manufacturing on movies like “Fundamental Coaching,” “The Final Life,” “Flip Round Jake” and “Bolden.”

Lengthy earlier than he had a SAG card or starred in any exhibits, he was an completed athlete who earned an NCAA soccer scholarship to Penn State College.

He started his performing profession starring in a nationwide marketing campaign for McDonald’s after being found by an agent. He additionally went on to star in nationwide spots for main manufacturers like Folger’s Espresso, Irish Spring, Tartar Management Crest and American Airways.

Withers is survived by his spouse, Haiyan Liu Withers, and his daughter, Jessie Withers. Donations could also be made to St. Jude Youngsters’s Analysis Hospital.

A long time after “When Harry Met Sally” requested audiences if grownup women and men might be buddies, yet one more romantic comedy poses the identical query of a recent collegiate crowd. Nevertheless, in director Jordan Weiss’ “Sweethearts,” which revolves round two besties breaking apart with their hometown romances over a vacation weekend, the time-honored question waits till the final minutes to develop, whereas a separate pair of screwball-comedy plotlines haven’t correctly concluded. Although the movie incorporates a gifted ensemble and compelling sentiments about self-acceptance and platonic friendship, it performs like two half-baked screenplays mashed collectively, sure by wafer-thin connections.

Ben (Nico Hiraga) and Jamie (Kiernan Shipka) have been finest buddies since childhood and are decided to stay collectively by way of their maturity, beginning with attending the identical school in the identical dorm at Densen College. Outdoors of their tightknit bond, nevertheless, is a world stuffed with problems, from Ben’s roommate Tyler (Zach Zucker), who treats him like a doormat, to Jamie’s roommate Kelly (Olivia Nikkanen), whose a number of makes an attempt to tug her out of her shell have failed. Even their romantic relationships are inflicting them issues. Ben’s sexy, long-distance girlfriend Claire (Ava DeMary), who’s nonetheless in highschool again house, monopolizes his time and takes him with no consideration. Claire’s dopey jock boyfriend Simon (Charlie Corridor) usually annoys her along with his requests for sexts and film nights. All this has led the pair to turn into the category outcasts — they usually’ve had it.

With a purpose to higher slot in and begin anew, Ben and Claire provide you with a scheme to dump Claire and Simon once they journey house to Ohio for Thanksgiving. They plan to make use of their pal Palmer’s (Caleb Hearon) home, as he’s again from dwelling overseas in Paris and internet hosting a small coming-out celebration. But from the primary second on the day of the breakup, Ben and Claire encounter a collection of issues, the whole lot from a bus trip with an obnoxious eavesdropping passenger (Stavros Halkias) to reuniting with an overzealous crush (Kate Pittard). Their important others additionally go lacking earlier than they will lower them free. In the meantime, Palmer’s journey additionally takes just a few detours, like studying their small city has a queer bowling league attended by his former highschool coach, Coach Reese (Tramell Tillman).

Weiss, together with co-writer Dan Brier, employs all of the formulaic “one loopy night time” teen comedy shenanigans with minor tweaks that add a refreshed shellac on stale items. Claire and Simon get wasted at a boring soiree, not a raging, rowdy home celebration, though there’s a kind of featured later within the climax. A traumatic, poisonous buddy (Sophie Zucker) from Jamie’s previous emerges, to not bully her, however to forgive and befriend her once more. Ben and Jaime are compelled to steal a dorky, cherry crimson tandem bicycle, not a elaborate vehicle. And, in one of many image’s smartest strokes of ingenuity, Ben will get caught utilizing the ID of a lifeless man by a burly bouncer (Darius ‘Nastyelgic’ Jackson) who occurred to be a pallbearer on the funeral for its unique proprietor.

Regardless of the filmmakers’ makes an attempt at raunchy humor, there’s not a lot that’s significantly humorous, groundbreaking or memorable. They over-orchestrate these occasions, which blessedly floor early within the first and are then deserted going ahead (apart from a clumsy intercourse tape lastly revealed proper earlier than the tip credit). Ben and Jamie’s botched frat celebration sequence is ham-handed — the seeds of the potential disasters are planted, however we all know how they’ll escalate and may predict their final outcomes. The development of jokes is affordable and simplistic, starting from a bitter partygoer who tosses her drink on Ben to the sloshed tertiary character who goes full frontal in service of a gross-out gag.

Whereas Palmer has a fleshed-out arc unbiased of the platonic buddies, his story monitor fails to align a lot with theirs. His inclusion feels both vestigial or an afterthought when he ought to’ve been both prioritized or excised fully. He’s touted as their third finest buddy within the opening credit, however isn’t handled as such within the movie’s execution. He’s separated from the pair for many of his display screen time, on a quest to find the queer neighborhood hiding beneath his nostril — although it’s a stretch that he by no means observed given how a lot it’s emphasised they dwell in a tiny city. He’s additionally made to apologize to Ben and Jamie on the finish, once they’re those who ought to apologize for ignoring him for virtually their entire go to.

Ben and Jamie have an effervescent, rhythmic repartee that bubbles to the floor of their frank discussions about intercourse, love, hopes and anxieties. The narrative works finest when centered on their conflicts and conundrums. Shipka and Hiraga are a captivating match in the best way they verbally volley in relaxed, informal conversations. Shipka finds just a few weak grace notes to play that increase her empathetic drive. Hiraga, who’s been a spotlight in “Rosaline” and “Booksmart,” is a superb main man, elevating weaker elements of the fabric and making his hero second really feel earned.

DeMary and Corridor, because the spurned soon-to-be exes, give their characters depth and dimension. Christine Taylor, who performs Ben’s caring mom, and Joel Kim Booster, who performs Coach Riggs’ boyfriend and Palmer’s sage confidante, add much-needed coronary heart to the proceedings. It’s a disgrace, nevertheless, that this strong solid is relegated to such forgettable fodder.

TMZ is taking a former govt to small claims courtroom, alleging that he embezzled not less than $99,509 from the corporate.

In line with the swimsuit, Alex “Woody” Wooden labored for the media outlet from January 2023 to February 2024. The grievance accuses him of “exploiting his place of belief” by siphoning cash out of petty money.

“Wooden is an embezzler and a fraudster,” the swimsuit alleges.

A trial is about to be held on the Beverly Hills Courthouse on Monday morning.

Wooden can be accused of paying private bills on an organization card, after which mendacity to cowl it up, and of diverting TMZ’s cash to companies he owned.

“After being caught, Wooden admitted his wrongdoing and promised to repay the cash he stole,” the lawsuit states.

He made a sequence of funds to TMZ from April by means of July, however then stopped, and nonetheless owes about $45,000, the grievance states.

The corporate says he has “refused repeated requests” to repay the remaining stability.

TMZ sued in small claims courtroom on Oct. 1.

Although the corporate claims it’s owed $45,000, probably the most it may well get better in small claims is $6,250.

Wooden hung up the cellphone when reached for touch upon Friday. He’s credited on IMDb because the “govt in command of manufacturing” on TMZ’s Christmas particular final 12 months, entitled “TMZ’s Merry Elfin Christmas.”

WarnerMedia bought TMZ to Fox Corp. in 2021 for about $50 million. Harvey Levin based the corporate in 2005, following a prolonged profession as a legislation professor, authorized commentator and TV information reporter.

TMZ is taking a former govt to small claims courtroom, alleging that he embezzled not less than $99,509 from the corporate.

Based on the swimsuit, Alex “Woody” Wooden labored for the media outlet from January 2023 to February 2024. The grievance accuses him of “exploiting his place of belief” by siphoning cash out of petty money.

“Wooden is an embezzler and a fraudster,” the swimsuit alleges.

A trial is about to be held on the Beverly Hills Courthouse on Monday morning.

Wooden can be accused of paying private bills on an organization card, after which mendacity to cowl it up, and of diverting TMZ’s cash to companies he owned.

“After being caught, Wooden admitted his wrongdoing and promised to repay the cash he stole,” the lawsuit states.

He made a sequence of funds to TMZ from April via July, however then stopped, and nonetheless owes about $45,000, the grievance states.

The corporate says he has “refused repeated requests” to repay the remaining steadiness.

TMZ sued in small claims courtroom on Oct. 1.

Although the corporate claims it’s owed $45,000, probably the most it could possibly recuperate in small claims is $6,250.

Wooden hung up the telephone when reached for touch upon Friday. He’s credited on IMDb because the “govt answerable for manufacturing” on TMZ’s Christmas particular final yr, entitled “TMZ’s Merry Elfin Christmas.”

WarnerMedia bought TMZ to Fox Corp. in 2021 for about $50 million. Harvey Levin based the corporate in 2005, following a prolonged profession as a legislation professor, authorized commentator and TV information reporter.

A breakup song and a love letter to his home state of Vermont, Noah Kahan’s “Stick Season” had a longer road to chart glory than most. The story begins deep in the pandemic, when Kahan teased the opening verse on Instagram, instantly striking a chord with lonely and isolated followers. He performed the song live in 2021 and released it the following year as the lead single and title track of his third album.

That was only the beginning. “Very early on it became clear that ‘Stick Season’ was touching a nerve and turning casual listeners into superfans,” says Ryan Langlois, general manager of Kahan’s management firm, Foundations Music. The response wasn’t lost on his label, Mercury Records. “Fans were demanding the song,” says Alex Coslov, Mercury exec VP. “We knew ‘Stick Season’ would be a hit before we released it.”

But nailing the recording was key. Enter producer Gabe Simon, who stayed true to Kahan’s vision. “It became about keeping the song simple while moving it forward,” he says.

With the song in the can, the conversation turned to strategy. “Noah wanted to speak about his hometown and paint a picture that was vivid and specific to Vermont,” manager Drew Simmons says. Mercury brought in digital agency the Trenches to collaborate on teasers, content and prerelease strategy.

By 2023, “Stick Season” had spawned an Olivia Rodrigo cover and cracked the Billboard top 10 in the U.S. Kahan’s collaborators put the song’s success down to its authenticity. “Coming out of the pandemic, people craved that more than anything — music that doesn’t ignore feelings but embraces them,” Simon says.

Songwriter: Noah Kahan Producer Gabe Simon

Label: Mercury / Republic

Hitmakers:
•Ben Adelson, GM, Mercury Records
•Alex Coslov, EVP, Mercury Records
•Ryan Langlois, GM, Foundations Music
•Drew Simmons, manager & partner, Foundations Music
•Gabe Simon, producer

Publishers: Sony Music Publishing, Secret Meadow Songs

A breakup song and a love letter to his home state of Vermont, Noah Kahan’s “Stick Season” had a longer road to chart glory than most. The story begins deep in the pandemic, when Kahan teased the opening verse on Instagram, instantly striking a chord with lonely and isolated followers. He performed the song live in 2021 and released it the following year as the lead single and title track of his third album.

That was only the beginning. “Very early on it became clear that ‘Stick Season’ was touching a nerve and turning casual listeners into superfans,” says Ryan Langlois, general manager of Kahan’s management firm, Foundations Music. The response wasn’t lost on his label, Mercury Records. “Fans were demanding the song,” says Alex Coslov, Mercury exec VP. “We knew ‘Stick Season’ would be a hit before we released it.”

But nailing the recording was key. Enter producer Gabe Simon, who stayed true to Kahan’s vision. “It became about keeping the song simple while moving it forward,” he says.

With the song in the can, the conversation turned to strategy. “Noah wanted to speak about his hometown and paint a picture that was vivid and specific to Vermont,” manager Drew Simmons says. Mercury brought in digital agency the Trenches to collaborate on teasers, content and prerelease strategy.

By 2023, “Stick Season” had spawned an Olivia Rodrigo cover and cracked the Billboard top 10 in the U.S. Kahan’s collaborators put the song’s success down to its authenticity. “Coming out of the pandemic, people craved that more than anything — music that doesn’t ignore feelings but embraces them,” Simon says.

Songwriter: Noah Kahan Producer Gabe Simon

Label: Mercury / Republic

Hitmakers:
•Ben Adelson, GM, Mercury Records
•Alex Coslov, EVP, Mercury Records
•Ryan Langlois, GM, Foundations Music
•Drew Simmons, manager & partner, Foundations Music
•Gabe Simon, producer

Publishers: Sony Music Publishing, Secret Meadow Songs