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“Someday I’m gonna be somebody people want.”

These words float along the melancholic melody of Noah Kahan’s “Come Over,” a song on his hit album Stick Season, which sparked his rapid rise to fame. His words seem distant now; the folk-pop singer-songwriter is ranked as a No.1 artist on multiple Billboard charts and reaches over 30 million monthly listeners on Spotify. He grew from playing his intimate, acoustic originals for his once-minuscule audience over Instagram Live to selling out massive stadiums nationwide during his last tour. But in his recent Netflix documentary, Noah Kahan: Out of Body, he reveals his struggles with pressure, self-doubt and mental health that he faces despite his popularity. “After all of this, what is my purpose?”

The documentary reveals the gap between what success looks like and what it actually feels like. Kahan describes the pressure that emerges as a result of his ability to put words to silent struggling, a talent that has made his songs so popular. “They hear something real, and they think that because you know how to say what’s real, you know how to solve that pain, and I don’t,” Kahan said.

Kahan’s lyrics, though deeply personal, reflect very human experiences that many people struggle to articulate. His messages resonate with listeners of all backgrounds, not just those who spend their days singing about their parents’ divorce or attending private therapy sessions to crowds of thousands of people. His raw, relatable words, supplemented by his emotional vocals and folky accompaniment, are what move people so much.

Since blowing up, he feels the need to exceed fans’ expectations. He has especially felt pressure surrounding the creation of his most recent album, The Great Divide, released on April 24. It is clear, though, that it is not just his songwriting talent that draws in fans, but his down-to-earth, earnest and humble personality. His genuineness in admitting that success comes with its own challenges is exactly what makes his audience feel less alone.

Reaching your goals doesn’t necessarily solve all of your problems; in fact, it can give rise to new ones. Audiences from all walks of life, even Notre Dame students, can relate to this. We’ve been told we’ve “made it” after working so hard just to get to this point. But now, we may feel pressure to meet high standards, to constantly be chasing what’s next. Kahan offers an honest, much-needed message: Achievement and struggle coexist. It’s okay to not be okay, even if you seem to be succeeding.

After all of this, what is our purpose? Noah Kahan reminds us that we’re allowed to still be figuring it out.