Born Jaten Collin Dimsdale in Conyers, Georgia, the 31-year-old goes by the pseudonym Teddy Swims, with the former referring to a childhood nickname that references his teddy-bear-like size and the latter serving as an acronym for “someone who isn’t me sometimes.” The Georgia native currently has 40.3 million monthly listeners on Spotify, with “Lose Control” continually elevating that number with over 450,000 million streams. The American singer-songwriter has gone on to harmoniously blend R&B, country, soul, blues and pop into an unmistakable sound that is governed by his raspy, honeyed voice.
Growing up in the Peach State, Swims was raised in a southern, traditional football family, where music played an important role in his life. Swim’s father introduced him to soul music from a very early age, with artists such as Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder and Al Green profoundly influencing his music taste and style. Despite playing football for ten years, a few of his teammates and teachers suggested that he join a musical theater class and the school’s choir during his sophomore year of high school. Swims ultimately fell in love with performing through these experiences and starred in several of his high school’s musicals.
Swims originally burst onto the music scene in 2019 and 2020 when he began posting song covers on his YouTube Channel–which has gained over 3.3 million subscribers on the platform; some of his most popular covers to date include Shania Twain’s “You’re Still the One,” Mario’s “Let Me Love You,” Michael Jackson’s “Rock With You,” and The Weekend’s “Blinding Lights.” Although his music began gaining some traction, it took more time than the artist expected for everything to “click.”
“It [the choice of which songs he chooses to cover] always comes from things that I love or things I grew up on – or like real soul music,” Swims said on the Jennifer Hudson Show on Jan. 4. “I’m so fortunate I got to grow up on Stevie Wonder because Stevie Wonder didn’t get to grow up on Stevie Wonder.” Swims also summarized the importance of emotion has played in his musical journey: “The best member of the band is the song.”
While Swims has enjoyed a steady ascent in the industry, his first four extended play (EP) releases did not exactly connect the way Swims intended; while they have gained more critical acclaim since his recent rise to the top, Swims’ breakthrough was delayed because of his prolonged search to distill his own sound – especially considering he dabbled in virtually every genre from traditional country to hard rock to club music. However, Swims’ latest album, “I’ve Tried Everything but Therapy (Part 1),” which features “Lose Control,” has propelled him to international stardom and cemented his place as a top artist in the world.
Swims also spoke of the success of his latest hit single in a Feb. 7 Variety article and the unorthodox journey he’s taken to get where he is today.
“For the first time in my career, I thought, ‘God, this is going to change my life,’” he said. “A lot of times in the past I was very close to hitting the mark, but I was still defining what I wanted to be,” Swims said. “I don’t think those were failures per se, but we were experimenting and trying to find something authentic to me – ‘Lose Control’ is just the first time I really hit the mark.”
While Swims is a brilliant songwriter and a musical genius at conveying raw, vivid emotions from his listeners, his voice is also technically remarkable.
“I just love this combination of a rough, raspy timbre with these really clean, fast runs–it’s so delightful!” Elizabeth Zharoff said on her YouTube Video titled, “Absolute Pristine GRIT! Vocal ANALYSIS of Teddy Swims ‘Lose Control.’” Zharoff, who frequently analyzes and breaks down famous musicians and music videos on her YouTube channel The Charismatic Voice, has accumulated over 1.6 million subscribers. “It [the ending of the song] made me want to go and loop the song again and just go over and over and over. Teddy deserves tons and tons of love,” she said.
Altogether, Teddy Swims embodies the essence of musical innovation and emotional resonance. His journey from Conyers, Georgia, to the top of the charts with “Lose Control” showcases his unwavering dedication to authenticity and genre-blending prowess. As fans continue to be drawn to his soulful voice and relatable lyrics, Teddy Swims solidifies his place as an unmissable artist in today’s musical landscape.