IT'S not even a month since the birth of his first child, a baby boy, but Teddy Swims is back on the road – and reflecting on what's been a remarkable year for the Georgia singer who has fast become one of music's biggest breakout stars.
With his powerhouse vocals, heartfelt lyrics and soulful blend of pop, R&B and country, Teddy Swims — born Jaten Dimsdale — has struck a chord with fans around the world.
His rise has been steady but 2024 catapulted him into another league.
He opened this year's Brit Awards with an unforgettable medley of his songs — Bad Dreams, The Door and the global smash Lose Control.
"That song will not go away," he says with a laugh, on a video call from his hotel in Washington DC before his show later that night.
"I mean, I'm not in a hurry for it to go away, but it's still rocking."
He grins: "I'm super grateful for Lose Control.
"You're lucky to get a song like that in your lifetime, and I hope I get like, three or four more of those.
"I need another Lose Control as I need to try to buy this baby [his son] a boat one day."
Despite his tattooed frame and his gold and diamond encrusted teeth, Swims is like a friendly, cuddly bear — warm, open and full of southern charm.
He says going back on the road and leaving his baby boy at home with partner Raiche Wright has been hard.
"It kills me leaving him," he says.
"When we were leaving on the bus I was just sobbing and drinking.
"My tour manager was like, 'Bro, you got to stop the tequila, or you got to stop crying.
"'This is not a healthy way to start off on tour'.
"The first two days on the road were tough because I kept waking up and looking for him. But I'm excited to see him grow."
Swims says he's loving his life.
"We bought a home in Nashville, and I look at it out there in our yard every day and I can't believe I get to live this life because I sing and write songs.
"I'm so blessed, and I'm so grateful for everything I have in my life."
He credits his partner, also a musician, for making him go to couples counselling after he finally tried therapy himself following the release of his first album.
"I made myself a promise that after I got the first record out, I was going to get into therapy, and I finally did and it was great.
"Then Raiche mentioned couples therapy to make sure we are as healed as we can be, and I'm sure it will help us with our parenting.
"We are completely different people and so I imagine how we see the world, and the way our son should be, will be different too.
'I'VE STRUGGLED WITH NIGHTMARES'
"I hope he will be a good boy because I was absolute hell."
Raiche, who Swims met through social media, also inspired his single Bad Dreams.
"I've struggled with nightmares a lot in my life and sometimes I get to this point where I can't sleep, or I'm scared to sleep.
"Meeting Raiche, who's such a holistic person, it's been nice to have someone help with that, making me take charcoal and magnesium to sleep."
Explaining how they got together, he recalls: "I had been following her for a couple of years as we had been listening to each other's music.
"Then she came to a show of mine in Atlanta and we hit it off, and the rest is history.
"Within a year we were pregnant, so we needed to make this work."
It was a very different story for Swims when he wrote his debut album — 2023's I've Tried Everything But Therapy (Part 1) — which was influenced by a darker period in his life.
"I was in a relationship with someone who was an addict and I wasn't the best myself," he explains.
"The substance of our relationship was literally the substances we were taking, and the lifestyle we were living.
"We became co-dependent.
"I'd never say anything bad about her. Sometimes you can love someone, but it's not meant to be.
"We brought out the worst in each other and it was hard to find a way to close that door and move forward."
Still, the singer has found peace and believes that music saved his life in many ways.
He says: "Throughout that record, you go from being so heartbroken in one sense, to having a family, a life and a career.
"Just being stable, and then trying therapy has been wonderful.
"I feel lucky for everything that happened, I had this 'ministry through music'.
"I've been able to be open and talk, to process it and put it into an outlet."
"There's no way I'd be alive today if I didn't have that outlet.
"I'm so lucky to have people who love me and want the best for me and pulled me out of the dumps.
Now I get to be a millionaire because my ex broke my heart
Teddy Swims
"One day I'll have my son come out on stage and personally thank all my fans for the life they have given him."
He says with a laugh: "Now I get to be a millionaire because my ex broke my heart.
"So, I've nothing to do but thank her at this point.
"I've been on the straight and narrow for a while now.
"I still like to throw back my Miller High Life [beers] here and there and my tequila, but I've been off the cocaine and stuff for a very long time."
Today Swims takes huge pride in being a mentor for people who have similar problems.
"Saving somebody from walking down a bad path or telling somebody they're not alone is what I'm here to do," he says.
"There are still a lot of people with a platform who aren't saying sh*t.
"You've got to speak. Don't do nothing."
He believes one avenue that can help make a difference is social media.
'FIRE FOR MUSIC'
"One beautiful thing about social media, which can be nasty in a lot of ways, is that there's always a community out there.
"The way people are supporting mental health, there are so many ways to reach out.
"It's been life-changing for me, and I'm sure for thousands of others around the world.
"It's a good time to get health — physically and mentally."
Teddy Swims' second album, I've Tried Everything But Therapy (Part 2), went to number two in the charts when it was released in January, and now, with the complete album also out, he sees it as a shared healing experience.
"Every time I play those songs and people sing along, I see how so many have gone through the same thing," he tells me.
"When I tap into that feeling, I get to take ownership of it, and me and thousands of people are now celebrating together.
"That bad time in my life, or their life — we get to reclaim ownership of that trauma and dance around and think about how horrible it was."
Influenced by classic soul singers such as Otis Redding, Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye, Swims says he grew up loving rock bands — including Coheed And Cambria after seeing them live.
"I saw them at Warped in 2007 when I was about 15 and that was when I got on fire for that music."
Another influential rock band was Acceptance.
He recalls: "Acceptance's album Phantoms really changed my life — they're one of my favourite bands ever."
Born in Conyers, a suburb of Atlanta, Swims was discovered when in 2019 he sang a cover of Shania Twain's megahit, You're Still The One.
Before he hit the big time, he had been playing in cover bands and prog-rock groups.
His band were known as Teddy Swims, so the name stuck with him as a solo star.
He says: "For so many years it had been such a slow burn for me, which I'm happy with.
"Fame has come into my life because I've been able to navigate it slowly.
"And luckily for me, I'm still playing in the same band with the same kids that I grew up with.
"And we still do everything together. We're rocking and writing here in the hotel, last night even.
"We're writing as we're on the road, because it's a clean slate right now to do whatever is next.
"And it's a beautiful thing to be wide open and not know where we're going.
"I try to be somewhat relatable because I could just write a daddy album."
'TOUGH AND CUTE'
With his success, life on the road has also brought some unexpected changes for Swims.
He tells me: "When I first needed a security guy around me, I found it a weird thing to navigate.
"I'm never really in danger and everybody I meet is always sweet to me. It's hello, hugs and taking pictures — and I love that.
"Fans can come say hi to me any day of the week. I asked for the attention, and I get it, and I love it. I'm excited."
Being in the spotlight is something Swims doesn't shy away from.
At the Brits, he walked the red carpet wearing a cape made of teddy bears.
"My stylist friend Christian Stroble helped me put that together," he says.
"I always try to keep it punk rock but I still want to be tough and cute.
"I would love to have a fashion line later and we will see what happens."
The chatty singer says that playing The Brits was something else entirely.
I still feel like the little fat kid from Conyers sitting with a bunch of celebrities
Teddy Swims
He says: "I did not know what I was walking into — it was huge.
"I'd never played a big show like that, so that was a big cherry popped for me there.
"And all those names that I find myself with at these events — it's nuts to be looking at those people as peers.
"There's always been a piece of me being there at the table and thinking I belong there.
"But I still feel like the little fat kid from Conyers sitting with a bunch of celebrities.
"But you know, heck yeah, I got a ticket too."
Swims says he loves visiting the UK and can't wait to return next year when he's hoping to play some festivals.
"The UK has always been so good to us. They are sweet on Ted," he says with a smile.
"Back in 2024, I spent more time in the UK than in America, I visited there about nine times.
"We were always so loved over there and we kept making memories with friends and it really paid off.
"The people there adopted me in a way, so, I'm very, very happy. I love Birmingham, it's probably my favourite city in the UK.
"But I just love the UK in general. I can't wait to be back there soon."
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