NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� If you feel emotionally drained after listening to Teddy Swims' debut album, don鈥檛 worry 鈥� he understands.
鈥淚鈥檓 sure for anyone that鈥檚 not heartbroken, it鈥檚 probably exhausting. But there鈥檚 still upbeat and there鈥檚 fun (songs) 鈥� but everything that is also upbeat and fun is still very, very sad,鈥� laughed the soulful singer, confirming it鈥檚 鈥渁bsolutely鈥� a heartbreak album. 鈥淏ut it鈥檚 helping me heal through a lot of things.鈥�
Irony has visited the 31-year-old during a time that should be among the most monumental of his life; Swims, who gained popularity by posting unique cover songs on YouTube, never imagined he鈥檇 be engulfed in a relationship severance while celebrating the release of his breakup-themed debut.
鈥淥ur lives were very intertwined. And so, it鈥檚 quite nuts to have this come out at the same time this is all happening, and it鈥檚 all even more real to me now than it was when I was writing it, which is quite insane,鈥� remarked Swims, who helped pen all but one song. 鈥淲e weren鈥檛 great together鈥oxic sh--, substance abuse and alcohol. So, it鈥檚 a lot of my journey through that, and my journey to also recover (from) how I treated myself and (how I) felt like I was unlovable.鈥�
The DNA of the 10-track album, which boasts production and writing from Julian Bunetta (One Direction, Chris Brown), John Ryan (Maroon 5, Harry Styles) and Ammo (Beyonc茅, Britney Spears), reflects Swims鈥� personal sonic makeup, featuring R&B, country, pop and light rock. With a musical palette as eclectic as his fashion style, the balladeer cites a wide range of influences from Otis Redding to Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Alan Stone, Thomas Rhett, Jessie J and Circa Survive.
The album title reflects a promise that Swims, who鈥檚 previously collaborated with Meghan Trainor, Illenium, Armin van Buuren and Matoma, made to himself: seek professional therapy after the project's release.
the project landed higher than expected at #61 on the Billboard 200 last week.
On the Swims 鈥� an acronym for Someone Who Isn鈥檛 Me Sometimes 鈥� pointing to personal evolution, sings, 鈥淚 said I would die for you baby/But I can鈥檛 take this pain no mo鈥�/I thought I was willing/but tonight I saved my life when I showed you the door.鈥�
Swims said his creative team was "slammed on tequila鈥� while crafting the song.
鈥淭here鈥檚 someone in my past that鈥檚 held their life over my head and been in a spot where (she said) 鈥橧鈥檓 not going to make it if you leave... It鈥檚 hard to have this situation with someone because you don鈥檛 feel like there鈥檚 a way out of it,鈥� said Swims. 鈥淲hen I finally found the other side of that situation and I had to let it go, it truly is the thing that saved my life.鈥�
The was inspired by a very modern 21st-century technological conundrum: sending nudes. Swims said he thought he deleted intimate images of past lovers from his phone but did not know they weren鈥檛 permanently erased from his iCloud. His girlfriend discovered them.
鈥淪he had gone through my phone one time and found like three ex-girlfriends (worth) of photos and videos and things that I won鈥檛 get too into detail (about). It really shattered our relationship in a lot of ways,鈥� said Swims bashfully, noting he didn鈥檛 want to release the song, but his team pushed for it. 鈥淚 was like, 鈥橠ude this was kind of a diary for me. I can鈥檛 have this conversation with her and say, 鈥楬ey, so I wrote a song about this, basically telling you 鈥榝 you鈥�'...I think song鈥檚 great because it鈥檚 from that honest place.鈥�
And on Swims reminisces on tender moments with past loves.
鈥淚 had this ex of mine and we used to play the song ...I shared this song with her and then it ended up becoming our song,鈥� said the heavily tattooed Swims, who has said his body art is inspired by his love of rap superstar Lil Wayne. 鈥淏ut there鈥檚 still something about when that song comes on that still gets to me, and it brings all that stuff back 鈥� and it鈥檚 songs (like) that I love that I can鈥檛 listen to anymore.鈥�
Swims, who says there are plans for a 鈥淧art 2鈥� follow-up, was raised in Rockdale County, Georgia, with dreams of becoming a football star until musical theater stole his heart in 11th grade. (He pointed out there aren鈥檛 that many 5-foot-7-inch defensive tackles that made it to the NFL.)
Since 2021, he鈥檚 released four EPs, including a Christmas project, but he first gained notice online after releasing a cover of in 2019. After his rendition quickly gained popularity, he made more, including which sits at 100 million YouTube views, and which racked up 143 million plays and earned a shoutout from the country star.
While thankful for the success of his cover songs, Swims says he hopes fans embrace his original material birthed from such a deep, vulnerable space of pain 鈥� and hopefully growth.
鈥淚 learned a lot from (the covers), not only how to be a better writer, but also not compare myself to songs I write having to be to that caliber鈥�.I felt like I set myself up for failure in a lot of ways doing that,鈥� Swims said. 鈥淎 lot of people can get stuck in that world of covers. And I feel like I鈥檓 very, very fortunate that people have attached themselves to me and my heart. And I feel that people will go on any journey with me, and I couldn鈥檛 be happier about that.鈥�
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Gary Gerard Hamilton, The Associated Press
