Noah Kahan Explores Stardom and Displacement on 'Orbiter' From Deluxe Album

Noah Kahan's latest album project continues drawing significant acclaim following its recent release.

The 29-year-old Vermont native dropped his studio album The Great Divide on Friday, April 24, with the deluxe edition, The Last Of The Bugs, arriving shortly after.

Among the standout moments on the expanded version is "Orbiter," the final track among four new songs added to the deluxe edition. Produced alongside Aaron Dessner, the song marks a notable addition to Kahan's catalog.

Interestingly, elements of the track have a longer history. The song's chorus was previously previewed when Kahan performed it during a livestream as part of the outro to the original "Pain is Cold Water."

In the song, Kahan reflects on the alienation that comes with navigating high-profile moments, singing about feeling exhausted and out of place at glamorous events while grappling with recurring cycles of loss and disappointment. The track uses astronomical imagery—positioning himself as an astronaut orbiting around someone like the moon—to capture the disorienting experience of fame and distance.

Kahan opened up about the creative journey behind the album in a recent statement. "It is hard to even begin to describe what these last few years making this album has felt like. The collision of fear and pressure and joy and luck and total love has left me wordless," he shared. "I spent many months walking forward in complete darkness, hands out in front of me, desperate to touch something familiar that would show me I was near the light switch again."

He credited the people around him for guiding him through the process. "I was never really alone. I was guided through the wilderness by calm voices, by the stillness of my home state, by the total commitment of my band, producers, and team, by the steady and loving touch of my wife and family, and of course, by the constant and enduring encouragement of my fans," Kahan continued. "I am very proud of what we are doing together, and I hope we can live this dream for a long long time."