Singer Noah Kahan Visits ‘Sesame Street’ to Show Kids How to Navigate Emotions With Music

The 28-year-old singer joined Elmo and the gang to sing about how a happy song can bring back a smile, part of the show’s effort to boost kids’ mental health.

Noah Kahan attends the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on Feb. 4, 2024. Neilson Barnard/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

The children’s television series “Sesame Street” has teamed up with singer-songwriter Noah Kahan to teach kids how music can be a powerful tool for managing emotions.

On Thursday’s episode, Kahan, 28, will join the show’s puppet characters Elmo, Big Bird, and Rosita to sing a song about the joys of music and how it can help children navigate their feelings, People reported.

“Music music happy music helps when I feel sad,” the song’s chorus goes. “When I sing a happy song pretty soon the smile’s back.”

“Noah was just showing us how music makes him happy,” Big Bird says in the segment.

“Music can help when you’re having all kinds of feelings,” Kahan adds.

The new episode is part of the show’s broader effort to boost mental health among kids.

“Season 55’s curriculum will focus on emotional well-being, helping children learn accessible strategies to comprehend and cope with big feelings through fun, lighthearted, relatable, and engaging stories,” said a Jan. 9 news release.

In a statement, Sal Perez, an executive producer for “Sesame Street,” said the new season, which launched in January on Max, will teach young viewers simple mindfulness practices that they can use to better regulate their emotions.

“Whether it’s taking a volcano breath when angry, learning to give yourself a hug when frustrated, or wiggling it out when disappointed, we are empowering children with the strategies to help build resiliency and the foundational skills for emotional well-being,” Perez shared.

In May 2023, Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization behind “Sesame Street,” made a multi-year commitment to supporting the emotional development of young children and families.

The announcement came after several health groups, including the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the American Psychological Association (APA), declared a mental health emergency among children in the United States.

In a January 2023 report, the APA pointed to disparities in accessing health care and educational opportunities as contributing factors. The following month, the AAP partially attributed the crisis to America’s shrinking pediatric behavioral health workforce.

“We at Sesame hold a vision of a world in which all children can flourish and feel the joyfulness of life and do so with appreciation for their own mental health and well-being,” Sherrie Westin, president of Sesame Workshop, said in a statement.

“Through the power of our beloved characters and proven resources, we’re raising awareness about the importance of nurturing children’s emotional well-being and lessening the stigma associated with seeking support for children’s mental health.”

The Epoch Times reached out to representatives for Kahan and “Sesame Street” for additional comment. However, responses were not received by publication time.

Big Bird (L) and other Sesame Street characters pose next to a temporary street sign at West 64th Street and Broadway in N.Y., on Nov. 9, 2009. Stan Honda/AFP via Getty Images

Healing Through Music

Kahan’s “Sesame Street” jingle isn’t the first time he’s used music to explore deep-rooted emotions.

The alternative folk singer, who rose to fame in October 2022 with the launch of his third studio album “Stick Season,” is well-known for incorporating themes of mental health into his work. His song “Growing Sideways,” from his 2022 hit album, touches on his experiences in therapy.

“For a long time, I felt like I was kind of just moving through life and I would just push my problems away,” Kahan said in a TikTok video at the time.

“You can do that for a while, but eventually it catches up with you. It started to catch up with me really bad in the past couple years so I started to see a therapist,” he continued. “It’s been really helpful for me, so I recommend it for anyone.”

In 2023, the Vermont native founded a mental health initiative called The Busyhead Project, which is named after his 2019 debut album. The nonprofit aims to help end the stigma surrounding mental health.

“Derived from his own life experiences, Kahan has been vocal about his mental health journey and challenges since a young age, remaining steadfast in his commitment to utilizing his platform to shed light on the topic and make mental health care accessible for all,” the singer’s official website reads.

“Trying to make a difference in the lives of anyone struggling with their mental health is why I keep making music,” Kahan shared via Instagram last September.

“So proud of you all and of @thebusyheadproject and the work I promise to continue to do.”