The School of Greatness - Teddy Swims: “It Was the CRAZIEST Thing!” How I MANIFESTED My Record Deal in 6 MONTHS!

Episode Date: May 6, 2024

Today, Lewis welcomes the incredibly soulful Teddy Swims, an artist from Atlanta who pours his heart into every note he sings. His debut album, "I’ve Tried Everything But Therapy (Part 1)," is not just a collection of songs, but a journey of self-discovery and emotional healing. Teddy opens up about his personal battles, the bumpy road to stardom, and how music has been his greatest ally. Join us as Teddy shares his transformative rise from local talent to chart-topping success, and the profound life lessons he’s picked up on this incredible journey.Listen to his debut album I've Tried Everything But Therapy (Part 1) out now! Including the hit single, "Lose Control," which just reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.In this episode you will learnThe importance of self-forgiveness and healing in personal growth.How music can serve as a profound medium for dealing with personal challenges.The realities of pursuing a career in music and the resilience required to succeed.How to stay inspired and keep believing in your dreams during tough times.Strategies for managing ego and maintaining authenticity in the face of fame.For more information go to www.lewishowes.com/1611For more Greatness text PODCAST to [phone]More SOG episodes we think you’ll love:Rick Rubin – https://link.chtbl.com/1536-podHozier – https://link.chtbl.com/1596-podRobin Sharma – https://link.chtbl.com/1599-pod

I needed that feeling of unhappiness because it was just what I was used to and which is quite crazy how our brains do that. I try to now attack everything that goes bad in my life with okay well this is this is going to help somebody. That's beautiful. My next guest just secured his first Billboard Hot 100. My next guest's music has been streamed almost 400 million times now. Please welcome back to the show, Teddy Swims. Please welcome Teddy Swims.

Teddy Swims, everyone. I was working at a Chili's in 2019, and me and all my friends at the time, we did the Michael Jackson's Rock With You cover. It was the first cover I put up. We woke up, I think the next day, with 10,000 views on it. We're like, holy. Wow. It's so great how manifestation really works, too.

Because we started June 25th of 2019, and December 24th of 2019, a day less than six months, I signed a deal with Warner. And the universe, God, whatever it is, is just like, was totally, we all put our heads together and said this is what it is. And life just. Your album's called I've Tried Everything But Therapy, Part One.

Have you tried therapy yet? I have not, man. What do you think is the thing that you're afraid to discuss or talk about the most that... I don't know, man, because I feel very vulnerable. I don't have anything I wouldn't talk about, but I think there's some things about...

Welcome back everyone to the School of Greatness. Very excited about our guest. We have the inspiring Teddy Swims in the house. My man. Thank you, man. So good to see you brother. Yeah, you too. I'm happy to be here. Big congrats on everything, man.

I'm loving watching the evolution of your journey from, you know, a YouTube cover sensation to original music and just dominating the charts, dominating, you know, Spotify, YouTube, everywhere. I'm loving the soul, the passion you bring in your music and your work. And I'm just so happy for you. So congrats on everything. And I'm curious because I've been, I've been digging into some of your background, your story. You used to play football growing up, which I love. But you talk about your father in a big way as being like the greatest man you've ever met in your life and just like the nicest guy who really showed up for you and your siblings. I'm curious to start, what was the biggest lesson that your father has taught you about life, music, and love?

Well, you know, I think my father, man, if I could be after the man he is at all in my life, music, and love. Well, you know, I think my father, man, if I could be after the man he is at all in my life, I think I'll be bigger than Michael Jackson, man. I really, truly, because just the heart that he shows to people, man, the time that he gives to people. There's so many times I've even introduced him to people

as we've been on tour and stuff, or I've met friends through here, and I've been like, well, look, I've met friends through here, and, you know, and I've been like, well, look, man, you got a dad, man, my daddy will be your dad. Like, I swear he will. He's the best in the world, and he's sure enough, man, he'll call me, hey, man, how's so-and-so doing, man?

Or he'll call them, and they'll call me, yeah, yeah, just talked to your dad, like, last week. Man, he calls me, like, every week and checks on me every week, and my dad is just really just always got time for everyone and i think that's like one of the biggest things that he's taught me about love to start there is that there's always time you know and you're gonna make something work for i don't care how busy you are if it means something to you you make time to yeah say you know hi i love you or you make sure

that that little time that you have with somebody they feel like they're important and they deserve that time and attention. And there's always a time to step away from something for what matters the most. And I think he's just always been so incredible about that, man. He's just, he's just steady, you know? And, and I think in a, and humans aren't very good at being consistent, you know? And I think, I mean, I think it's kind of impossible to be consistent always, you know, because we're humans, we're going to fail, we're going to fail each other, you know?

And, but I just, I don't see that man as, even some of the things he looks back and he thinks were like failures in his raising of us. It's just like, I look back at those moments, it's like, dad, you hated that? I like, I loved that. You know what I mean? He was like, when he was like, he always talked about how

when he was always going to the softball field, or when I was playing football, he was also like, you know, doing semi-pro at the time. And he would always go by. Did you do a semi-pro? Yeah, and he would come, he'd come like, you know, take me to practice in his pads and then come pick me up. And then I'd go watch his games after he'd watched my little game.

That's cool. And he'd be in his pads. And he was just like, yeah, I was just too worried about playing at the time though I was still a kid I wish I was more and I was like dad it was the coolest ever that you were like you know picking me up and I was in I was at your bleachers with my little pads on watching you I was like that's the coolest my life you know it's like but he was worried about yeah he was just like well I think I was too worried about playing at the time. And I was like, that's cool, man. That was awesome watching my dad do that, you know.

It was also you got to see a model of someone, your father go after his dreams. Yeah. And his passions and his love. And what he did for me, speaking of that, is that, like, you know, his dad died when he was 15, 16, something like that. So we didn't really have that much of a figure growing up, especially that prime time of growing and evolving. I think he was the first one, too. We went on this trip from Texas and came home. When I was 19, I was in cosmetology school going to cut hair.

Really? My sweet mother, too. She's a hairstylist, too, and a barber. So she was always telling me like you can you can pursue your music but you can have this as a background you should go you can just you know you can make your own schedule you can have a backup plan and and so her sweetheart man she went and got her uh her license to teach like she was going to same school i was at the same time to like she was teaching you to teach teaching degree in cosmetology the same time I was going.

So she could just like, she's like, I'll just go get my teaching degree so we can go to school together. I can kind of teach it through. I was like, hell yeah, mom. But my dad, he's the first one. He's like, look, son, if you want to sing, man, you should drop out of school and don't go back to college. You need to drop out and just go for it, man, because if you're gonna look back at your life and say, well, why didn't I go put everything into this?

He said, it's not gonna happen if you don't put everything into it. So he encouraged you to drop out of school? Yeah, he's the one that told me, just promise me you'll never go back, and I did. And it took me 10 years to get to where I was, and I mean, even further now. And, I mean, he's just the most proudest man in the world, dude.

There's not a gas station or CVS or anything he walks into. He's not like, man, you know Teddy Swims? Oh, look, that's my son, dude. That's my son right there. He's just so proud and so happy and follows me all over the damn world. That's incredible, man. So excited, dude. He's the best guy in the world. That's amazing, man.

So how old were you when you dropped out of school? I was 19. Okay. So 12 years ago. Yeah. And then, yeah, by the time I was, I think I signed in 2019. Yeah, December 24th in 2019, I signed to World Records. So it was...

Five years ago. It was four and a half years ago, right? Yeah. So I was, record so it was five years ago yeah one and a half years ago right so i was yeah it was 10 years from from that moment where we finally made it and but i've been working on music for forever i mean he was coming to my my metal bands when i was in high school and stuff and he's like i don't really like that kind of son but i mean whatever it makes you yeah yeah i mean and the kind of music i was making at a time i don't know why he would give me that advice because my bands were terrible so i was like I don't know why he would give me that advice because my bands were terrible. So I was like, I don't know why he was like, go for it, son. I guess he's like, you know, I feel like if my son sucked at something, I would have been like, I guess you'd still be supportive, but you know, I mean, he'll find it, he'll get his way. I guess you don't want to get, you don't want to have him.

At least he had some faith in me, yeah, because I would, I would, I don't know how, if I had a son, I'd be like, all right, you take your time with it, but, you know, that one wasn't very good. Right. I mean, 10 years of pursuing a dream until you, I guess, quote, unquote, made it, what were you doing for the last 10 years? Were you having jobs?

Were you singing? Were you singing open mics? Were you just doing different bands? Like, how did you survive and thrive for 10 years until you made it in the industry? It wasn't a thrive by any means, but we made it through. A bunch of roommates,

a bunch of roommates moving back to their parents' houses when it wasn't working out, you know, and getting stepped on and getting hurt a lot and, you know, losing a bunch of jobs and, you know, waiting tables for a long time and also not a good waiter at all by any means, you know, losing a bunch of jobs and, you know, waiting tables for a long time and also not a good waiter at all by any means, you know. But I remember one of the best advice that I got from this guy, Roger Waters.

He gave me the best advice when I first placed I ever waited tables at this pizza place in the small town social circle in Georgia. And he'd always be like, man, you're like the clumsy server. You're like forgetful. Table one's been waiting on their ranch dressing for five hours now. You know what I mean? But damn it, man, you get good money because people like you.

And as long as you make people feel comfortable and happy, they'll take a Diet Coke, you know, even if they ordered a Coke. It's fine. We love Teddy. He's cool. You know, whatever. And so as long as you treat people well, I found that that goes so far in life, you know, just charisma and care for people.

It goes so far. You know, you can be stretched so thin, but just taking that time. Yeah. Just to love on somebody. They're like, okay, I don't need a ranch dressing, I guess. It's fine. But you were fine. You were at a good attitude.

Yeah. That's all you can do, man. You got nothing to steal your joy. That's for sure. That's great. But you were fun, you had a good attitude. Yeah, that's all you can do, man. You got nothing to steal your joy, that's for sure. That's great, man. So during the last decade, I guess, while you're trying to figure it out and develop yourself, what was the most challenging time? I think the most challenging time for me

was right in between parts of, so I was working at a Chili's, you know, in 2019, and I was also, like, the things on the covers and stuff was starting to go off. Wow. And so, me and all my friends at the time, YouTube was like, you started that around 2018? Yeah, 2019, June 25th of 2019, yeah.

And so, June 25th of 2019 to, we did the Michael Jackson's Rock With You cover. It was like the first cover I put up because it was just 10 years since Michael had passed. And so I wanted to do, I wasn't like to do covers, but I just wanted to put that up and just be like, here, pay some homage to the GOAT, right? And we woke up, I think the next day with like 10,000 views on it. We're like, holy, man, this is huge. We're getting hammered, guys. This is massive.

And I mean, 10,000 views now, if anything happens like that, I'm like, oh, you washed up. You know, it's just diminished returns, isn't it? But I remember we like, next day, it's like 150,000. We're like, oh. And so we kept on doing the covers.

And as they were coming in we were um basically so me and uh my band and i my producer lee and and a bunch of us we all we all moved into this house together and my manager still to this day my best friend luke he was living in l.a here and um basically like got this prius pulled you all in the back and drove it all the way to Georgia. We all moved into a house together. It's like there was 12 of us living in this five bedroom house and we just put plywood walls up to like, you know, separate bedrooms and to make it.

And we made it like a nine bedroom house with like two studios in it. And we were just, we were trying to, so, cause we were, we had times like, yo, if we can take the pictures, we can design the merch merch and we were even in our garage like shipping out the merches we're distributing it ourselves and um so we had like 15 people over there all the time just working and around the clock doing the covers writing our own songs producing everything playing everything we just figured if we could do it all ourselves i was like look dude we just

need like six months to just figure this out if everybody would just donate all the time that they have to this for just six months i promise you guys in six months this will work this is like when i just put a promise on him and um and so we all moved in together and that was a very tough time because not only were all of us on top of each other all the time but i was i was in a place where i could work maybe one day a week at chili's or not at all and i kind of had to quit my job before it was working you know and so you were just kind of like existing scrapping by yeah just kind of scrambling and trying to do whatever you could to because work would take you away from this but then if

you don't put everything into this, then this, you know, everything was suffering on both ends. And so you had to just kind of make a choice to go for it. And those guys really had to, like, kind of help me float by and get by. And we were really scraping it. But, and even when we first started doing that, you know, it was about October or November and stuff, we were starting to go do label calls and flying to New York

or flying here to meet with labels and stuff. And it was, you know, we were like broke as hell. So we were also trying to- Picking buses. Yeah, we were also trying to stay in hotels, but also tell the labels that like, oh, our YouTube business is crushing it. We're making so much money.

We don't need you. So like to try to- We need a hotel room. Yeah, but to try to like let them know we already had a great business going, to try to get more leverage in the fact. But the real lie was it was like we were sinking in our pants and being, like, you know, all tough about it. Like, yeah, we're good.

We don't need this deal, you know, try to get a better one. I mean, they got to work. And my boys, you know, I'm so lucky to have a good foundation of a group of guys. And, you know, and speaking of that six month, it's so great how manifestation really works too because we started June 25th of 2019 and December 24th of 2019, a day less than six months, and on Christmas Eve with that,

where I signed the deal with Warner and it like, you know, put all the boys on and it was like it was the craziest thing that just like manifestation just saying like six months is the time limit boys and i'll leave you alone if we can't wow and it was a day last like just the universe god whatever it is it's just like was totally we all put our heads together and said this is what it is and life Now, were you were you aware of like manifestation or visualization beforehand? Or were you thinking about this or setting goals? Yeah, I mean, I'm always I'm always like I'm always a big person of just like, you know, how just what you what you say and what you look for in life and what you what you think you want out of life. It's like, you know, it's like a it's like going through your girlfriend's phone, you know, which you don't do.

You're going to find something you're looking for, you know, but it like a it's like going through your girlfriend's phone, you know, which you don't do you're gonna find something you're looking for You know, but it but it doesn't have to it's maybe not anything you're looking for but if you're trying to find something to look around and peek under a crevice for something there's gonna be like a Something that you're like insecure about you know And and I mean that in like a way of men if I guess I'm using that as an analogy for manifestation Which is a weird analogy for that. Yeah, you know, I guess I'm using that as an analogy for manifestation, which is a weird analogy for that. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I feel like whatever you're looking for, you're going to find, is what I'm trying to say.

And whatever you want to heighten out of your life, you can. And you can make anything you want it to be, is what I'm trying to say. Where did you learn this, though? When did you start to develop that skill set? I grew up, luckily, man, and I say this principle-wise, I'm very fortunate. My granddad on my mom's side is a Pentecostal pastor. He's a very big, you know, he's very straight by the book kind of guy.

You know, and I don't, I subscribe to a lot of those principles and a lot of the ways you treat people and your work ethic and stuff like that. But, you know, I don't know if I would have, I don't know if I would like, so like tell everybody they're wrong all the time though you know i'm not so that far on the christian belief of that anymore but uh it taught me a lot so much about you know how to

treat people and how to how to how to ask for things out of life you know and how to say that you want this and how to do the work to get what you want out of life and um and i just think every time i've ever said something, there was so many times too, even when we first started this business, you know, and we got signed and we went through this pandemic and it was like, you know, two years of us not being able to play and we kind of built our whole business through touring.

And so now I had my best friends, but we're also, I had, now I had my best friends, but we're also, I guess in some way, my employees now, you know, and our business was like falling. Really? We couldn't, we couldn't, we weren't making money to like going on tour or doing anything like that. And so there was so many times where it was like, man, we don't know how we're gonna make,

you know, we don't know how we're gonna make payroll this week, or we don't know how we're going to make, you know, we don't know how we're going to make payroll this week or we don't know how we're going to make payroll next week. And that's where it gets kind of weird because, you know, the guys that you grew up with that are your best friends since middle school and high school that you're playing with and you can't go tell them like, hey, man, I don't know how we're going to pay you guys Friday, but like just know that. Stick with me.

Yeah, because you don't want to say that, you know. But luckily I would just always go in there and just say, like, you know what, dude, something's going to come through. Somebody's going to call. Something's going to happen. And sure enough, it was like always, whether, I mean, I know not to take away from Luke and Curtis, I'm sure they were going out and looking for everything they could.

But it would be sometimes, too, that we might just get a call about a private event that would just pay us like 100 grand real quick and it would be like i'm bad we're safe for the next couple months you know and it was it was just always something when it was just like i don't know man just whatever we got to do just stick to the promise stick to the promise stick to the promise and it just continues to so every time i ever just get to like if ever anything starts to be questionable or integrity gets on the line, it's like, no, just stick to the promise. We said this, and we're going to stick by this word

and stand on that. Wow. And I think just standing on a word is what I really learned from a very early age that life is going to come to you if you just stand on your word. It's just powerful. That's beautiful, man.

Yeah. Now, but it was like almost six or seven years of you, you know, after dropping out of school, I guess going all in on the music passion and career until something happened, right? It was like six or seven years until like you started doing the covers and started getting attention and awareness.

How did you stay, I guess, inspired for those six or seven years while you're working restaurant jobs and part-time jobs and trying to do gigs on the weekends how did you stay in belief that something was going to come from this I just felt like that's what my my deal my life was you know and there's just nothing I would I just don't think there would be anything else I could do I don't know I would never have I would have never have gotten through and i'm very fortunate too that if i was working at this place and it closed down or i lost this job or i lost this house i had i had people in my life luckily who were always just willing to just say like here

i'll float you for this or like you'll come sleep on the couch for a bit or you know my best pal jesse man he's been my best friend since we were in middle school and his dad, too, was like, he still plays guitar in my band, too, and writes with me, and his dad was just our hero, man. He would take me in, and, I mean, they did, like, commercial plumbing, and so he would try to give me some job. I can't even, damn, drive a nail, though, my dude.

I'm like, I'm so bad at it, but he'd go back behind me, like, sucks, but he would just, you know, still, he'd even take me to the backyard and be like, here, just build me a fire pit or something. Do something you can do, I'll pay you $12 an hour. You know, just come out here and work. Here, cut my grass or something, here's some money.

Come sleep on the couch, man, you're good. And I'm just grateful that, I think everybody in my life was also like, look, we don't want you to do anything else. And so I know it's gonna work, you know? Wow, man. I'm very fortunate to have had believers. I don't think I was ever in a spot where I know a lot of people

in a successful place can say that all my haters and everybody that didn't believe in me. And I can honestly say I don't think I've ever had that point of people just telling me, no, you can't do this. No, it's a very slim chance that you could do this or you should think of something different. just telling me no you can't do this no it's very slim chance that you could do this or you should think of something different because and i don't know if that comes from my um because people actually believe that or it's because of my willingness to say if that if somebody ever told

me that that there just should not be in my life at all you know like i just i just don't entertain that idea and i don't i don't like i would never entertain that idea for anybody else either that I talk to. If it's like, you want to do something, go do it. You know, I got permission from my father to go do something. And sometimes all people really need, especially children, is like just permission to just go for it, you know? And that permission goes so far. Some people don't have that permission from their parents.

Yeah, and that's tough. Stay in school, go do this thing. You like you like maybe you try for a little bit this music or art or sports career but really you need to go get a real job and that's tough that's hard to overcome that yeah because i had i had one of my best friends i had since preschool he worked with us forever and you know his his dad was always on him about that too and was like you know hey man or if his grades would start to fall he would be like it's because you're playing that too and was like you know hey man or if his grades would start to fall he would be like it's because you're playing that guitar too much or you're doing this too much and you know and he he was like he was like a full-time electrician you know and so like a

union electrician and he kind of wouldn't push his kid into look you need to be doing that you need to be you need to be focused on just a good collar job and making sure that your family's straight, get a family, get a kid, and go to college, and do this whole, you know? And it was just like, I think to some degree, that's healthy. I wouldn't ever be mad at some parents for doing that because I do understand the ideal of wanting

some sort of consistency for your child and safety and safety net for your child. And I think that's a beautiful thing to do but just uh i think it's when it came to dampening you know the the dream or the like heart and that you can you could see the light kind of go out of his eyes every time that was just like put that guitar down you know and it's like sometimes you need and i'm of course i don't have kids so i would never tell anybody how to raise theirs but i think he did an amazing job he's a great man

you know but i just uh if there would have been more chance for him to be permission you know he would he would probably be wherever he wants to be at this point yeah yeah permission is the key when it comes to having someone start to believe in themselves. I think a lot of people struggle with belief in themselves and their talents. There's so many people I've seen over the years have way more talent than me in so many things, but not just go after what they wanted. How did you continue to believe when you weren't making much money for those years, though? How did you continue? Was there ever a time where you were like,

ah, maybe this music and this career thing isn't for me, I'm going to go full-time into something else? Or did you always believe eventually it would happen? See, that's my thing. That never happened. Even those times where one of my last bands I was in, there was a guy I was working with, and his whole thing was like,

look, man, this is my last hoorah with this music thing, know and and if it doesn't work this time then I'm gonna just give it up you know because I just like I've been at this for so long and I've seen things fall through and I had a band that was touring for a while and that fell through and he's like I'm just getting old and this is my last hoorah with this and if if it doesn't happen then I'm giving it up and I'm like well that's exactly why it's not gonna happen man you know I think I think and and not to knock against anybody there but I just I for me it was just this is all that I am and all that I have and all that I was going to be and it was just very so important to me that there was never a sight that I lost of this I never lost sight of like I want to do this and I need to do this is like that was the only

thing that i was going to be happy doing that was what i wanted and what i i saw for my life from a very young age and i think i never lost that and um i think that's the that's the important thing i mean even though even though like i think the self-belief is that i could get to where i wanted to be not that i ever felt like my talent was going to get me there but i think i'm just now even starting to some of my first bands man are just so trash you could find uh dude you can find my very first band i was a senior in high school uh it's called heroic beer you can find our ep on youtube still and uh it's it's so garbage man it's a metal band too and we're like post hardcore and it's so garbage but i look back and i'm like why did you guys tell

me i could sing this is so bad dude really told me i could sing it's so bad but you know i mean thank god they did because i i knew i wanted it man and i knew we had something and you know here we are so did you did you rehearse a lot with your voice growing up were you singing all the time trying different genres absolutely man and i think i think that's what's also so beautiful about the voice you know it's it's it's it's the it's the it's the instrument that you can take and practice anywhere you go at any point you know if i was a guitarist and you can't just use that everywhere so i mean i was never never not singing you know if i'm walking around if i'm pouring drinks to go to a table, if I'm behind the bar pouring drinks,

I'm humming to myself. Really? I'm practicing little runs on my way home. I'm just always singing. Always? It's the best feeling. I mean, growing up in a small town in Georgia, though, and playing football, were you celebrated for that?

Or was it kind of made fun of, like, oh, what are you doing with this singing thing? No, luckily for us, it was great. And I also got really kind of late started in it, you know, because I was like my 10th grade year, me and Jesse got into theater together. And that year I was doing football in theater. And I kind of, after that, stopped football

and kind of pursued, you know, chorus and theater and all that stuff. But it was not a thing. Like when we were doing theater in high school, it was like, it was cool. It was cool. It was cool. And like me and all my buddies were in there

and we'd, we'd gotten all the dudes involved in theater. It was like, we'd, we'd go in a, we'd go to like Thespian, like a big Thespian conference. And it was like, we had, we had so many guys in our theater program, you know, which was like, but just, I'd like really like guys, guys, like shotgun and beers guys, you know what I mean? Like, it's like, we had just, which was like, but just like really like guys, guys, like shotgun and beers, guys, you know what I mean? That's interesting.

We had just, we had just, we had gotten everybody in theater and made it cool. You know, it was like, hell yeah. It was just, it was a dude's party in there. You know, it was amazing. It's quite fun. It was quite funny. Cause we ended up like our school, I think ended up looking for more girls about the amount of just straight dudes we had in there, you know?

And I just had a, it was a blast for us. I think I just had a different experience on that. That's cool. That's cool, man. Now, Teddy Swims is, you know, your stage name. Jaden Gimsdale is, you know, your birth name. What made you want to create a stage name? And do you ever have any insecurities being your authentic name versus your stage name?

Oh, that's beautiful. Well, so weirdly enough, Swims was like something I was going to go by. So this project originally started with me and my best pal, Addie Maxwell, who is a writer and producer and guitarist in my band as well and known him for years. And we were working on this band called Wild Heart I was in for a while. And he started producing like hip hop beats and stuff and was sending them to certain artists.

And one day he was just like, dude, we should try like, you know, just rapping on something. And so we did. And luckily my good friend Tyler Carter, he's in his band Issues and and woes me for a long time. One of my biggest heroes, best pals in the world, my real mentor and friend, and just the dearest person in my heart, man.

He came over one day to get tracks ready for his tour with Issues in Europe, and he comes over, here's our one rap song, and he's like, yo, this is dope. You guys should come on tour for my solo tour next month. And we was like, well we have this one song. He's like, look dude, just get 30 minutes of music, I'll be back in a month, and we'll go on my solo tour.

Wow. So March of 2019, me and Addy go on tour as just rappers. And that was like the first Teddy Swims thing. I was just gonna go by Swims as like someone who isn't me sometimes. And then Tyler at the time was like, well everybody already calls you Teddy. I've just been called Teddy forever

because, you know, just of my stature and joy, I guess. And he's like, well, let's put Teddy and Swims together and call it Teddy Swims. It's an awesome name. And I was like, I kind of hate that, dude. And he was like, well, he was like, well, that's my tour. So I'm putting it on the flyer. And sure enough, it just stuck.

And, you know, here's Teddy Swims now. Do you still hate it? No, I mean, it's my tour, so I'm putting it on the flyer. And sure enough, it just stuck. And, you know, here's Teddy Swims now. Do you still hate it? No, I mean, it's growing on me, I guess. It's too late now, isn't it, you know? But everybody hates their own name, I guess. And I think the reason I started getting called Teddy anyway, is that Jaden was always kind of hard for people.

It was always like, is it Jaden? Is it Jason? Jamie, Jason? Yeah, you know. Jaden, yeah. So the more, especially when you're waiting tables, if I'm just like, hi, I'm Teddy, and It was like, I was like, is it Jaden? Is it Jason? Jamie, Jason. Yeah. You know, so the more, especially when you're waiting tables, if I'm just like, hi,

I'm Teddy. And everybody's like, oh yeah, Teddy. It's just like such an inviting, disarming name. And I think it just

kind of happened. And I don't, I don't, I don't really, there's not really too much of a difference. Like I wouldn't say that Teddy swims is ever

a character I'm portraying or, or Jaden Demsdale is any different. I think it's uh, I think it's a, I look at it as a nickname and not like an alias or like a character, you know, because it's always been a nickname and, and I get called both all the time. And so that's why I say, you know, I don't care what you call me as long as you call me, man, you call me. So I'm like, I got nothing but love for you, baby. And I'm just happy to be in your mind at all. Wow, man. But do you ever get insecure on stage or have fear before you go on?

No, you know, what's crazy is that I used to, when I was in high school and I first started doing, like, theater and stuff, I used to get so nervous where I'd just sit and stare at a wall, like, just blank, for, like, three hours, not eating, not talking to anybody. I would just, like, throw up.

I was just nervous as hell, man. And nowadays I find that I'm like kind of more insecure or like anxiety riddled like all the time except for the stage. Now, I mean, I do get like, the only nerves I really get before a show, I don't really get like no butterflies or anything, but I always know like 30 minutes before a show, like clockwork, man.

If 30 minutes before a stage, I get a bubble in here, it doesn't matter how solid I've been, I'm gonna go paint the back of a toilet, bro. It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter. It's like, it just immediately is like, just turns to fluid. It's like, and I'm like, must be 30 minutes. Yep, sure enough, it's 8.30.

You know, and it's like- And it's like right up until the moment you gotta go on. Yeah, right on. And I'm like, this is the worst time. I used to have that in football too, man. Like right before I had my pads on, I gotta take them off. Yeah, it's 8 30. you know and it's like right up until the moment you got to go yeah right on and i'm like this is the worst time i used to have that in football too man like right before i had my pads on i got to take them off yeah it's always that it's uh but you know i think i think also too if you stop getting those nerves then you know then you don't love it enough and i think there's got to be some sort of like nerves if you if you walk in there i was i was

literally just on i was on the shop the other day and and l.l cool j was was on there too and it was so cool to meet him and hear some wisdom from him and he said that same thing and it really stuck with me because he was like you know you know if you ever get to that point there's no nerves that means you don't you don't care enough you walk in there all caught you know i got this i got this it's like man no you gotta you you should you should have a little bit of like some excitement and some some anxiety about getting on there but i've always been when i got on there though it's it's the most natural place for me to be it just feels like home when i'm up there and it'll get my shoes off when i'm on that stage and i just get to feel solid

you know ground and and respect and try to create a safe place for people to, because I get to do this job where I get to walk up there and just basically just trauma dump on strangers, you know, and just get to just say, like, cry about some girl that broke my heart three years ago or something, you know, and put it out there for people and talk about my journey of, like, self-care, self-love, or when did I start fucking loving myself and how did I hate myself for so long? And, you know, I start just talking to people

like this on stage and I get to really just have these moments of, of, of speaking just openly and vulnerably. And I think that, that, that outlet that I get to do that is, has not only been so necessary and therapeutic for me, but it's also great when, when people get to come and we do a meet and greet or something and they say like,

you know, this song got me through my divorce. Wow. Or, you know, my husband was meant to be here with me, but he passed in October and so, you know, I brought my friend, but I just wanted you to know, like, your music has got me through that, or your song Amazing was our first dance and he's no longer with us.

Oh. And it's like, that kind of stuff right there is just like, it's it's heavy but it's it's it's so beautiful to hear that kind of stuff because you know you you know that everything that you're writing about whether it's a love song or whether it's a from a place of personal pain um it's it's so specific to my little personal pain but then somebody else has their own personal pain or their own memories attached to somebody that they dated or their own moment with doing them in a car when they first heard this song and now it's there and their girlfriend's favorite song and it's just such a beautiful

thing and it makes you makes you feel like all the all the stuff that you went through was so necessary to go through like even that little heartbreak that I went through, all the pain and anguish that I went through on something becomes now so necessary and the difference I get to make. And all that time I spent moping around, like thinking woe is me or that I was hurting. Now I look back at that stuff and I see how necessary it was for every little issue that happened in my life. And I try to now attack everything that goes bad in my life

with, okay, well, this is going to help somebody. That's beautiful. And I try to just look at it that way. I think, I don't know if that's like, I think that's a healthy way for me to look at it. Because every heartbreak I go, well, this is going to help me and help somebody else. That's true.

And I think it's so wonderful that I get an outlet to talk about stuff. And I think it's so important that everybody has a voice and they talk about, if you don't talk about your issues or tell your story to people, then they don't also get to, you know, they can know that they're not alone or they can, or you are better. You can help them from ever going through that because you've already been through that. You can say like, Hey, don't make this mistake. And you can, you can help somebody from going through it or just let somebody know they're not alone and i think it's just important that everybody just speaks you know their pain

it's important now you mentioned you know you get to when you're on stage you get to i guess unload your traumas and talk about all these insecurities or fears or love that you have in your heart at that moment. And you mentioned you used to hate yourself in some ways. What was the thing you used to hate about yourself the most? And when did you start to love yourself in a more full, authentic way? I think a lot of times in my life, there's a lot of things that came from um I think from this this uh place of I don't want to like blame it so much on like religious situations but I think some things growing up were were just kind of like it was it was meant to be modest and to yourself and

hold things in and and not letting anybody know what was going on. And if there was anything kind of going on in our family, we're also tight knit. So it's like, you just kind of like, we, we kind of had to, you kind of have to look perfect as a pastor or something, you know, and, and those guys are also going through things and sometimes they're not, there's, there's not people that they go to and just can say like, yo, I'm falling apart here. Or like, I'm struggling with thoughts of suicide or something, you know, there maybe is a pastor going through that, you know? And it's like, and they can't talk about that openly with somebody or they can't talk about certain mental health situations that they got going on because they have to be the,

God is the answer. And I'm, my life is perfect because I'm so close to God. And, and it's, and it's just, it doesn't work. And I think there's just a lot of things in my life that I kind of held in and kind of kept in and things that I was insecure about. Was it shame or was it insecurity or was it guilt? All of that stuff, you know? All of that stuff I think came in. And I won't just blame it all on religious things,

but I think it's also just, I think a lot of time too in my life, I was always a big kid. And so I struggled with weight a lot and the way I viewed myself and eating habits a lot of time, too, in my life, I was always a big kid, and so I struggled with weight a lot and the way I viewed myself and eating habits a lot and the way I viewed myself and was eating to get through this

or was, you know, just handling situations in certain ways. And so I had a big, you know, problem with that growing up, and it's just always also feeling, I was just always a sensitive little boy, too. Yeah, just always also feeling, I was just always sensitive little boy too. We took everything so to heart. Me too, man.

So everything was just so personal attack, you know? And I think it's, I think the moment that that really switched for me is right during the pandemic or right before sometime, I think it was 2020 or so. So I got a chance, Dominic Wilkins had hit me up on Instagram and- Basketball player?

Yeah, the Hawk, man. He's one of my greatest friends. I got to sing at his wedding, like maybe a month or two ago. Wow, that's cool. He's the best guy ever. He hit me on Instagram, he was like, I want you to come play at my birthday party.

So he actually, coincidentally lives in Conyers too, where I'm from. And so we went over there and um we we played you know and he gave me this signed jersey and we we i've done a lot of stuff with him that's cool he's beautiful and uh he's like dude are you wrestling fan and i was like yeah of course man i got three brothers i'm he was wrestling fan right and uh he he said well diamond dallas page is coming through and diamond dallas page is like this is my hero. And I was, I mean, still my hero.

And so I met him and he went to bat him some cocktails. And I was like, hey, man, I was about 300 pounds at the time. Really? And I told him, I was like, look, man, you know, because he's doing the DDP yoga stuff, right? And he's like, look, man, you know, I really want to, you know, I'd like to try your stuff out or see if there's anything you can do. And he's like, well, come over, man. Come over. Come over to the house.

Come do some yoga with me. Come, like, let's get together. And he called me the next day, and he's like, look, man, I know we were drunk last night, but I meant what I said. If you want to come over, come over tomorrow. We'll start doing it. You can come to my house every single day, and we'll start talking. I believe in you. Your voice is amazing.

Come on. He said, all you got to do, man, is get this six-inch piece of real estate figured out and own that, and we'll figure it out. Wow. That dude gave me so much and so much, and still to this day calls me. He calls me, if not every day, hits me every day. He calls me weekly, and he's like, we got to get weekly calls. We got to get weekly calls. Stay on it.

He's talked about this year. He's like, I want to come for like four or five days on tour and just come sit with you and, you know, just make sure you're straight. And he helped me lose 65 pounds. Come on. Yeah. Congrats man.

I also, you know, I've been put about 20 back on, probably from tequila on tour last year. But I was gonna say, based on your videos from four years ago, I was like, you look a lot leaner you look a lot healthier your skin looks better yeah and so there was a time where i was at one moment um the biggest part of it was i was living in this house and i was kind of sinking and um this this girl i was dating at the time she had a child and uh and i'd known him for a very long time for about like he was six at the time and for most of his life i'd known him for a very long time, for about like, he was six at the time, and for most of his life I'd known him, and his dad really wasn't around,

and his dad was just kind of in and out of his life and on drugs and stuff, and I know what that was like because my little brother's mom was the same way, and I saw my dad struggle through that, and I think I found something, and I fell in love with that kid while we were dating, and she ended up kind of going back to her baby daddy, and I really at and I fell in love with that kid while we were dating and she ended up kind of going back

to her baby daddy and I really at the time was like, I wanna do whatever it takes to, even if I gotta get a full time job and still pursue music, I would do whatever it takes to make sure that this kid's okay. Wow. I ended up really falling in love with that kid. We still talk to this day, I love that kid

and but it was when that kind of split and she just left to go back to this unsafe thing it really kind of put me down and at that same time um that same time that she left my roommates moved out i was like four months behind on rent my car had broken down the transmission went out on the way to work and i had to walk two miles of work and then they tell me that the place is closing down and so it was like everything at once just like really just fell apart right and so i was really sinking and i called my dad at the time and i was like look man i i need to just come in and just if i could just throw my mattress on the floor i'd be stoked and it's like of course baby and that was coincidentally enough was wild as that was like right at the beginning of 2019 where we started working on the swim stuff yeah and because we were working in loganville

right by my dad's house on this stuff and um the things like it's always like one gigantic loss for one i think when everything is falling apart in your life, that was just making room for everything to start building. And I find that life works so much like that too, where there's just one gigantic loss for something. I think it just kind of makes way for good things. And now I try to change my perspective on that so much because of DDP. You've got to own that six-inch piece of real estate. And now I try to change my perspective on that so much because of DDP, you know? That's so good.

You got to own that six-inch piece of real estate. He taught me so much about just like, look, man, you got to do small things. Like look into your eyeballs in the morning. Have you ever looked at yourself in the eyes in the mirror and said like, I love you. You're doing great, man. Don't, you know, just talk to yourself. Right. Tell yourself you're worth it.

Tell yourself you're worthy of love. And I felt like so long I was choosing relationships and I was getting stepped on by people because i wanted to give people love and a chance to do something but i was i was i was taking more than than i should have because i maybe i was also trying to be some consistency for people that i never had or they didn't have or maybe i was trying to do something unrealistic i don't know but i i find that I heard this one beautiful advice in a meet and greet not too long ago. This therapist was like, I'm a therapist, and I'd like to give you a little word if I can. And she said, the way people treat you is a reflection of the way that they see you. The way you let people treat you is a reflection of how you see yourself. And it just, like, stuck with me and changed my life forever from that point on.

I was like, yeah, okay, maybe I should just... There's a way to treat people well and love on people, but there's also a way to notice when they're hurting you. You know? I felt like that so long in my life that I, uh... I let people kind of... There was also, I think sometimes I just chose the same pattern

because there was something about being hurt or being held down that i think was also i was weirdly kind of needing for some inspiration to be the greatest like artist person or myself or to be in pain or something i don't know why i wanted that maybe i needed maybe that was the consistency was just being in just turmoil all the time and i needed that that feeling of of unhappiness because it was just what I was used to and and I'd rather be yeah I'd rather be familiar than than uncharted happy territory which is quite crazy how our brains do that you know and so now I'm now even in my life I'm I'm I'm with somebody now that's like very good to me and and I'm and I'm with somebody now that's very good to me and I'm happy and everything in my life is coming greatly. And I find that I could still write songs.

And I was like... From a place of beauty and love and joy and peace. Even if I still write songs about heartbreak, I can always go back and tap into those emotions. I don't have to be there right now. I don't have to just constantly put myself in hurtful places. And I don't know why I'd do that. I don't know why we did that to ourselves. Because you myself in hurtful places, you know? And I don't want to do that. I don't know why we did that to ourselves.

Because you see these, I mean, you hear these great songs where an artist created them from a place of pain or sadness or loss or heartache, right? And I always think like, okay, this is a beautiful song or this is a beautiful piece of art, but isn't there a way to create art from harmony and peace and love and abundance that can also move and change the world yeah absolutely there is yeah and i'm learning that daily you know it's just like something i

have to always see like it's okay to be happy dude it's fine just be happy it's probably the best for when did you start feeling happier and loving yourself then was it did it happen overnight was it a months of practice of doing these rituals and habits it's it Was it, did it happen overnight? Was it months of practice of doing these rituals and habits? It's an everyday decision, you know? I find that happiness is truly a decision you got to make. Love is a decision you got to make. You wake up every day with something that like,

and your heart, I mean, even if you're with a partner for a long enough time, you're not going to wake up every day like, wow, what a great another day to love you again. You know, it's, that's a, you know, you got to wake up and you love, you love things despite you, you're happy despite of things.

And you're, you have to decide it. Like you got to just continue to train your brain to say, you're not upset. Just you're happy, man. Like everything's good. Some days, some days I find myself about stuff and I'm like, what are you about? Come on, dude.

Life is good. Life is good life is good and you're so loved and you're so cherished and people love you and you love people and you got good things and a great family and friends and foundation like what the hell is your problem dude come on just get it together like what are you like waking up all yeah you know like don't be a little get up just smile man it's okay someone watching or listening right now might be thinking well teddy that sounds good because you've made a bunch of money now and now you're famous and you've got success and you're going on world tours so it's easy to be happy now

but what do you say to people that you know are like i'm struggling i'm going through it i'm working multiple jobs my my relationship isn't working out. I'm overweight. I'm not feeling good about myself. How do you speak into them joy and positivity on how they can shift their mindset to feel loved and happy? I would say, I would say personally, happiness is, is, it's never easy, you know? And I think anybody anywhere in their life is, is, is allowed to feel the way that they feel.

And I, cause I also, I think I did the same thing when I was told myself, I'll be happy when I get to this, you know, or I'll be happy when I get to this level or when I get to this space or when I can do music full time, all my problems will go away. And that was the biggest wake up call for me is when I was able to finally do music full time. I was like the most depressed I ever been because, because I thought that was going to answer all my problems, you know, but that was like maybe answering a financial problem or like a, a problem that I, I didn't get to do what I love full time, but that was never the issues that was really happening.

The issues were way deeper than that. What were the main issues? Was, was all the things that, you know, I've been discussing it, the things that I've, I've, I've held in my whole life that I was, that I was insecure about, the things that, you know, I've been discussing, the things that I've, I've, I've held in my whole life that I was, that I was insecure about the things that I was hating myself for, that the, the, the, the ways that I was living, the things that I was doing, the people I was around that were, were breaking me down and stepping on me. And the, the, the, the things that, that the people that were not valuing me and me not valuing myself. And, um, it, it all, it all came from like, so when i got to this point i said well

something's clearly got to change because i thought once i got here i'll be happy and and again dude it's still that's not it's not easy to be happy it's not it's something you've got to the pursuit is for everybody right you know the pursuit of it is what we need but happiness is something you you got to wake up and choose and it's hard it's harder some days than others and it's it's it's hard on everybody and and of course you know i can't speak for anybody with whatever their situation is going anyone more successful or really struggling at the bottom i can't i can't i can't tell them how to be happy or that you should you should just wake up and put it aside and decide to be happy you can't you can't do that either. But, um, you know, whatever, whatever

there is in your life that you can find to cling to, uh, that's what, like, that's what kept me alive truly is that even though I got to that point and I was like, wait, there's underlying issues I wasn't addressing. I would tell you that I had a North star of what I wanted and what, what I was here for. And so I think the only thing that kept me going while i was in the bottom of the barrel was that this is what i wanted to be and this is when when i get here i'll be happy and i know that was not even true but i had i had something that i was grabbing for and i had something that was pulling me out of the bottom all the time and i'm grateful that there was there was something to stay around for there's something to cling to. And as long as you have your reason, then I'd just say, man, make sure you have a reason.

Because if there's nothing for you, there's no reason, there's nothing to love that's keeping you here, then I hope there's a way that somebody can find that. And you just have one thing to cling to, one thing that just keeps you here. Absolutely. Without it, there's nothing man what did you i mean for any artist musician singer creative individual watching or listening right now who hasn't made it yet who isn't making it full-time who isn't making a full-time living or doing what they want full-time but they have a dream and a passion to become more with their art what would you tell them about fame success and money that you know now that you didn't know five years ago i would say whatever like i would say try to be that's a tough question like what is what is fame success and money taught you having it now

versus five years ago, not having it. I would say that money now to me is, now that we were dealing with a lot more of it, but $20 still means what it meant when I was either buying a bottle or I was making it to work, you know? And like $20 still means what it meant to me. And a dollar, the value of a dollar always stays the same. At least in my brain, I always try to make sure it stays the same and that I know how much a $20 bill can do.

And no matter how many of those I have, I know what they can do and know how much that can do for somebody and in my life, you know, and how much. And I try to know that it's coming and it's going and it's fleeting, of course. I try to know that it's coming and it's going and it's it's it's fleeting of course, but and I think with success to I I Find that I think my version of success is I think defining your own version of success and what success means is is Really what the whole ideal is because you can you can get to this level but then there's there's such a different level like, you know, if you they say that like the human eyes he's 20 miles ahead of it right you know and so if you're looking 20 miles ahead you walk that 20 miles and then there's another 20 miles and it's as far as the eye can see and so

i always find that i'm just like as soon as i get here i'm like this is like cool but i won't you know i want like what if i'd have died at number two, I'd have been like, this sucks. And I would have been so hurt. But I'm also like, like 99.9% of people don't even more than that, you know? And so I'm like, why, why, why am I? So I try to constantly just, I think I find a way to define success and what success means to me. And I think that's, that's just important for people to do.

And I think what that means for me is this i think success is like when you can when you can offer somebody the opportunity or the ability to have the same success yes i truly think whatever whatever i can do that when i when i've been able to build a studio and i've been able to put my friends on a salary or i've been able to bring them into writing rooms and see them flourish as writers and producers and writing songs for artists that are putting songs out or being their own artists and putting their own songs out. And I think that's truly what I get my happiness, like my most success from is like watching them flourish because we were able to provide an opportunity for this person or that opportunity provided to this person.

And it's seeing kids come up that are at shows and they're standing in the front and they're nine years old and they come to the show and they're like, they want to be singers, you know. And just reach out and give them a pair of sunglasses while you're singing up there. And you know that just changes their life. Or you bring them backstage after and hug on them

and take a picture and give them a little word. And it's like that stuff is success. You know, that's what success looks like in my opinion. And I think it's important for someone that if you want success, it's important to define what that looks like for you. Because if you don't have a clear definitive line of what success is and you're going to be chasing it, never know you actually have it, you know. Right. And what about fame? What has fame taught you now that you've experienced it

and people know who you are it's quite strange i think i try to i try my best to be um like some some people i find are like there's there's there's a certain like separation that happens when you have when somebody and it doesn't have to be fame It's like how famous you are to somebody, I think. It's like you could be a level of famous, but people treat you with you're just a regular guy, right? But some people, when they look at you, and it depends on how big you are in their life. Some people, I find that all they do is listen to Teddy Swims and they're like, they're so,

like they're the biggest Teddy Swims fan in the world. And I'm so honored for that. I'm so absolutely honored for that. But I find it such a weird thing when somebody, like, they're the biggest Teddy Swims fan in the world. And I'm so honored for that. I'm so absolutely honored for that. But I find it such a weird thing when somebody's like, you know, they come to a meet and greet, and they're like, you know, they're just shaking, and they're like, I don't know what to say. I love you.

And, you know, and it's such a sweet thing. But it's quite an exchange that you have to get used to because you're like, you know, they start crying to me, and you give them a hug. You're like, oh, that's such an honor that you have to get used to because you're like, you know, they start crying immediately. You give them a hug. You're like, oh, that's such an honor that you like feel that way to be around me in my presence. You're like all broken down and shaking. And it's like it's such a beautiful thing. But it's such a thing to get used to because you just want to be like, hi, how are you?

Thank you so much for this stuff. I love you so much. And, you know, and they're just like it's like they're just blown away by just just like, oh my God, like this presence of, that it's really not any different. I don't know. Because to me, I'm, I'm just a fat kid from Conyers, you know? And so, so, so getting treated that way is, is, is such a beautiful experience, but it's, it's quite a jarring experience to go through. People are just not really thinking you're human kind of. And you're like oh

maybe i'll bring it back down yeah i'm not all that you know how do you manage your you know your ego or your mind or your heart or humility when that is going to continue to happen more and more you're going to be number one you're going to be selling out arenas what's your process for making sure it doesn't you know i don't make you bad person? I don't think it could, man, because I think there's a thing that happens. I don't know why people change when they do this because humility and people and, like, I was taught, like, one good advice, you know, and I say this all the time. They say, like, you know who the most important person in the world is? It's you because when I'm here with you, it's our time together,

and I'm making sure that I'm fully engaged in this conversation. And if you get five seconds with somebody, 10 years with somebody, you make sure every moment you spend is right there. And their time is just as valuable as mine. And I don't show up late to things. I hate to be, I'm not knocking anybody does.

Sometimes things happen. But when you start acting as if your time is more valuable than somebody else's, and even if it is dollar sign wise, it's not. Especially when people are dropping their kids or bringing their kids to a Teddy Swim show, and their time is actually what's so valuable. Their time is way more valuable than mine. And they're investing in me and caring about me.

And I think when you start treating people like they're lesser than, or that their time is less valuable than yours, or you are worth more than somebody, I think that's like, I don't, I don't, I don't think I have that bone in my body to, to be like, I'm, I'm this, you know, it's like, I, I, cause I don't, I don't, I don't, I don't see myself as that. I don't plan on it I never want to like I never want to feel like oh, I'm the best, you know Sure, I think I will strive to be but as soon as I feel like I'm the best and there's no growth left Yeah, that's good mindset man. Yeah, that's a great mindset

I mean your your album is called I've tried everything but therapy part one. Have you have you tried therapy yet? I have not man and uh you know we i talked about it too before before this album came out i was like look dude this is my problem myself when i get out when i get this album out i'm gonna go to therapy and it's been such a whirlwind that i mean i know there's always time like i could again i can make time to do this and do a 30-minute zoom here or here yeah yeah yeah Yeah, yeah, yeah. And this whirlwind, I think I've just been kind of like maybe not ready yet or something, and I'm planning on doing it.

It took me until I was 31 to start for me. Yeah, so it's perfect time. It's the right time for you. I think it is, and I think even more so now that I am in a good place, I think it might be a perfect time to start and not being just like, you know, I think in a good place is probably think it might be a perfect time to start. And not being just like, you know, I think in a good place is probably a great place to start.

Absolutely, yeah. Because I think it's good at any time. And I agree that it's good for everyone, but I just, I don't know what it is. I don't know why I haven't started yet. Why did you want to title it this, even though it's something you've never experienced yourself? Well, I think it was a funny name, too,

just for the sake of, you know, I've done everything except for the sake of you know i've i've done everything except for therapy you know i've done every i've tried everything that i could to make myself like you know as good as i can and therapy's probably the next step and i think i think in naming it that too it's it's it started conversations like these which is which is so important to me because uh you know, I think in times before, and maybe that's why there might still be some stigma in my brain I'm trying to get rid of

because in some generational curse of people would just be like, code it in. It's tough. And I've been doing that my whole life, you know, what we've been discussing. And so I think I wanted to just kind of open the door to talk about it. That's beautiful, man.

And the more that I've had conversations about this has, you know, been like, I don't know, have you tried it yet? Or, and it also keeps me like accountable and it also keeps me talking about my emotional place. Beautiful, man. Yeah, you know, I think it, hopefully it just helps people

start opening their mouths about that more and maybe it inspires somebody else to, or maybe when I do, then maybe more people will. But I gotta, I probably gotta set the example by myself, or maybe when I do, then maybe more people will. I've probably got to set the example myself, you know what I mean? What do you think is the thing that you're afraid to discuss or talk about the most? You know, I don't know, man, because I feel very open, and I can talk about anything.

You seem very vulnerable. Yeah, and I'm very lucky that I feel very vulnerable. I don't have anything I wouldn't talk about, I feel very vulnerable. I don't have anything I wouldn't talk about. But I think there's some things about, like, my habits of coping that maybe I'm scared of changing. Maybe it's the... Like from heartbreak or from loss or from sadness? I think it's just in general.

Like, there's certain things, the tics I do or the ways that I handle my stress and emotions or the ways that if I... The ways that... What if I find out, oh, there's a way better way of handling this than drinking and I'm like well I like to drink when I'm sad though so you're familiar with it yeah you know it's exactly like a buddy yeah it's like a buddy you don't want to let go of your buddy exactly man it's a buddy that's probably like it's like a toxic relationship that you're like ready to walk away from. It's literally putting poison in you, but it's a comfortable, familiar feeling. Yeah, exactly.

And not just booze, too, but I think just all my other coping mechanisms. Maybe it's even chewing on my nails or the inside of my cheeks. Maybe it's little tics that I have here and there. Maybe it's too much about discovering those things that I might have to change and not be so stuck in my ways anymore.

I don't want to be stuck in my ways, but there's something so protective inside of me that's like, yo, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. Don't change this. It's working. And it's, it's... It's what's gotten you here. Yeah, exactly. So I think there's also a protection of that, too.

Well, what if I fall on my face after I get fixed, which is not even a thing. Nobody fixes you, but you know what I mean? There's just this stigma I think I'm still working through. And I won't know until I really just go take the step. And it probably will be way different than I'm even explaining it, you know? So I just got to get there, you know? The thing I love that you're talking about is, you know,

on the humility and fame side of things and how you just feel like you'll always be growing. And I just feel like something like therapy or call it coaching, whatever you want to call it, it's going to allow you to just keep growing as a human inside and outside so you can serve more people at a better level. That's the way I look at it.

And I look at you as, you know, this is the first time we've met. We've met just a lot of few times. I've seen your work for a while, but I see you and the more I see you in front of you as an incredible leader and a voice to be of service to humanity, to express your voice in a beautiful artistic way

that can connect with people with what they're going through. Whether it's something challenging or something beautiful in their life, you can use your voice and your artistry to empower and uplift individual souls, hearts, and minds around the world. And the more you continue to evolve, it's not about fixing or being perfect or like letting go of every negative habit that you have, but just being aware of the

root cause of why you do these things and saying, sure. And saying, okay, does this serve me and my art and humanity at the highest level? Maybe I never get rid of this, but maybe I improve a little bit here and there. And I, you know, I did a little bit, do a little bit of yoga for this season of my life. And I'm going to try something else. It's like, I'm going to enter relationships

in a different way, whatever it might be. And then you're going to have that experience and be able to express that experience to humanity from a place of service and growth within yourself. And I think that's a beautiful thing that you're doing and you're on this journey. And just you even talking about it as the title of your album is allowing you to express this personal growth journey. So I'm just really excited for you, whether you do it now or in 20 years, I'm excited for your journey of growth because it's impacting lives around the world. And it's really cool, man.

You're an incredible talker, man. I have a good idea. You're so good at talking, man. Yes, sir. I'm just listening to you. I'm just listening, man. You're so well, so well spoken, man. That's so well said.

Thank you, man. I appreciate that. Of course, man. Yeah, you've got a gift. And you know, I think the first thing I saw of yours was the cover you did with Shania Twain, right? Ah, she's, wow, what an angel. And the first thing I ever heard out of your mouth, when someone sent this to me, the first thing I ever heard out of your mouth, do you remember what you say at the beginning of that song? Yeah, it's my mom.

I'm a beautiful mother, man. That's what you say the first thing. Yeah, she's an angel. I love her so much. You say you, it's my mom. I'm a beautiful mother, man. That's what you say the first thing. Yeah, she's an angel. I love her so much. You say you dedicate this to my mom. Yeah, she's the best. And you say this, you know, you're still the one I, you're still the one I love, you know, all that stuff, so.

Why did you decide to do that cover? I think it did over 120 million views. Why did you decide to do that and why did you decide to dedicate it to your mom? Well, you know, that song, I mean, I always, that whole album, God, dude, that she's just, she's just incredible. And that song just reminded me of my mother. I don't know why, I don't remember what, like, what album,

where I was like, we should do this cover. And, you know, but I think, I think I heard it or something. And I was like, man, this makes me think of my mama. And maybe we should do this next. It was something like, I can't remember the place where we decided, but I remember when we were recording it, I was just like, man, I'm going to dedicate this to my mama because it just makes me think of her.

It's just such a beautiful song, and it makes me think of us in the car and that song being on the radio and us going down the road and me singing in the car and my mom's and it just makes me think of home, you know? Wow.

And it's been such a beautiful thing, too, because not only has that changed my life so much, but we still play it every night and, you know, and a lot of people have gotten, like, married to my version of that song and stuff, too, which is so powerful. You play it on the road.

Yeah, yeah. Oh, I got to see you play that live, man. We'll always play that one, too, as far as, because it's like, it's, it's. I think it's such a contrast, like seeing you with like the physical body you have and the beard and, you know, the tattoos. Yeah, I think that must have, I think that's a lot of.

Singing this sweet, beautiful, like, song. I think a lot of that has been like what happened in my, in my career, too, is, is, is, has been because of like, you know, the way I look versus the way I sound. I think it's been a gimmick that we've really been able to work. The contrast, yeah. Yeah, and, but it's so fun. We go out there and every day I'm like, you know, the way I look versus the way I sound. I think it's been a gimmick that we've really been able to work. The contrast, yeah.

And, but it's so fun. We go out there and every day I'm like, yo, is anybody, you know, here with the mother this evening? Or is anybody else just a mom at all? And I yell for the rest of us, can we make noise for the most beautiful creatures in the world, you know? And you just honor mom for a minute.

Every day is Mother's Day for me, man. Wow, that's good of them. So I'm just like, it's fun to go on stage and always just shout out to moms. And they're just like, you see somebody with their kid or you see somebody with their daughter and then their daughter's daughter, you know? And you see this generations of people in the crowd

and all shapes and sizes and colors, all just holding each other together. And this couple who got married to it, they're just slow dancing in the middle of the crowd. And you're just like, God, this is a way to bring people together. and i mean that song you know that song just what's what's a line in that song or a phrase in that song that resonates with you the most you know just look at us still holding on you know we're still together and it's like it's like that

that that that that that pre and you're still the one I run to. You're the one I belong to. You're still the one I want for life. That whole song, I think it's a love song, and it's definitely about a relationship with a person that has been, I guess, together for a long time. But to me, it's always reminded me of my mom. And when we really spin the lyrics, it can also be that way.

You know, you're still, you're still, we've made it through everything together, Mom. And we're like, well, I love you. And we're, are you still, you're still the girl I run to. You know, my mom's still my everything. And she's my rock dog. Have you always had a good relationship with her growing up? Or did you go through some challenges?

We went through a lot of challenges, man. We did, but she's always been, you know, and we've grown, too. She one time told me the most beautiful advice, man, or I guess not advice, but just something that she said to me the other day. She said, she was like, you know, I was cutting somebody's hair, and I had pictures of you and Kaylin, my older brother, on the lawn. She said, Glenn, how'd you raise such good boys? And she said, hell, my older brother, on the lawn. She said, Glenn, how'd you raise such good boys? And she said, hell, they raised me.

Wow. And it just touched my heart. My mom was just, I realized she was 23 or 25 when she had two kids. My dad was 21, I think, when he had two kids. Wow. Or 23 or something. It was like they were a couple years apart.

And if I'd have been like, not even 25 or two kids, holy dude, or 23 with two kids, I'd have, hell, I'm a child. I'm still like, I'm still not a child,

you know, as far as I'm like, I, so I, I just like, I, I see also too that all the times and all the things that like, as I was growing up that my mom was doing,

I'm, as I'm getting older, I'm starting to see like oh she's like a kid though still you know she was still growing and as a baby raising a baby you know and like any mistakes that were made were just like that's a baby raising a baby god bless her you know she was going through hell yeah trying to figure out who she was trying to raise two boys trying to maybe still also have a child, like have some youth in her too.

And so like, and it's tough to, it's tough to navigate being a new parent at all, but let alone that age, I'm sure. And so we had our times, you know, and we had our stuff, but who doesn't, you know? And I think I'm just so grateful that she's really turned into this most most beautiful woman and wow flourish in that and also watch as as my mother watched me grow up to watch my mother grow up it's been like it's been a hell of a thing we really grew

up together you know and that's beautiful it's it's she's just a flower man she's the best that's great man what's the um what's the lyrics or the you lyrics or the phrase in a song that you feel like you've sung the most to yourself throughout your entire life? Maybe your childhood or your adult life. What's the thing that you see yourself just singing in the shower the most or when you're in the car or just humming? What are those lyrics or that verse that you sing a lot? Maybe it's your own song. Maybe it's another song. I would say for my favorite, I think probably the song I've sang the most in my life is

Knocks Me Off My Feet, Stevie Wonder. I just love that album. Songs in the Key of Life is the best album ever. I don't want to bore you with my troubles. Something about your love. You know that song? I don't want to you with my troubles. Something about your love. You know that song? I don't wanna bore you with it. I love you, I love you, I love you.

It's just such an infectious, beautiful song, man. And I'll just, that album in general has just really always been something that's just so, so beautiful and powerful. It makes me just think of my childhood and just like growing up. That and if I was to say my own song, first song on my album is called

"'Some Things I'll Never Know." And I find myself always singing that, when did your heart let me go? I guess some things I'll never know. And it's a song that's really like helped me with a lot and acceptance of things, you know, because, how's that verse go? It says, what did your heart let me go?

I guess some things I'll never know. It's how the chorus of it is. What did your heart let me go? Yeah, I guess some things I'll never know. And if you haven't listened to the song, you should, it's such a beautiful song, man. And it's like, when it was written, you know

it kind of was like about just acceptance of well like people walk out of your life you know and i say this all the time on stage when people walk out of your life it could be a friend it could be a significant other it could be just a death and something you know but um there's there's no closure i find that when people leave your life you. And all you can do is hope that the best thing, they're doing the best for themselves. And if you really love them, you've got to just let it go and you don't get closure. They're not going to tell you, this is what you did wrong, this is why I'm leaving, or this is why I'm leaving and it has nothing to do. They're not going to give you closure. Sometimes people just leave and sometimes people don't say they just go and and you gotta hope that or find some way to

give yourself clarity or some some sort of acceptance or internal closure that you're like well i guess this is the end of that and there's there's no and i always found myself with with relationships that ended like looking for closure like why did this happen i don't understand or um and then and it's just the acceptance of of the things that i can't control and uh that whole song's just kind of about there's there's things i just can't control and i um i i just got to accept that i can't i can't keep you here i can't and and i i found that there's two reasons i i i think anyway there's two reasons why people hurt you and they either do it to specifically hurt you or they do it to help themselves.

And, and you just got to hope that they're doing it for their better good. Interesting. And if that's what they're doing it, if it's, if it's, if it ever takes you hurting me to make yourself better than by all means, I would take that anytime. And I'll be glad to, well, I'm not glad to, but I can accept that, you know, but it's always, I, with me, when you're just like trying to blatantly hurt somebody, I think that's when it's like, okay, you know, you're giving me too much power. You're giving somebody else too much power if they want to hurt you.

So I just hope that it's always to benefit. Whatever you got to do for yourself, you're number one. You take care of that, you know? Man, this is a beautiful conversation, man. Yeah, I'm glad. I've got a few more questions for you. That's cool But this has been a really inspiring so far

It's the question that just came to me as you were saying this You know, you're close to I think you're close to or maybe you're over a billion streams already on your music in the last year You know platinum you're selling out arenas around the world like so much is happening for you right now i'm curious if you go a year in the future and you could think back about the gift you would like to receive the internal gift you'd like to receive from where you are now to everything you're about to experience and go through over the next year what is that gift you would love to receive for yourself that's a really beautiful question. I think I would like to, if I could look back a year from now, I think I would like to just hopefully have, and I'll say this as a gift,

because I think I'd like to just learn to let things go better. You know, just learn to let things slide off. Because everything I feel like sometimes for me is so huge and every moment's so gigantic and everything is so like, you know, massive and whatever's happening right now. And there's, I mean, there's a thing about being present, but there's a thing about being like, everything is not the end of the world. You know what I mean?

And if I could, I'm sure, I'm sure I'm just gonna, and I'm learning every day, but even if I could look back last year, I'm like, all the shit that I was making such a big deal was not that big of a deal, you know? And hopefully I will have the gift of discernment. You know, that would be, discernment would be the gift that I would like. Much better discernment.

That's what I'm looking for, yeah. I know a great tool that'll help, therapy. Yeah, you're right. Therapy has given me that, that's for sure. But all in time when you're ready, no pressure. You've got your tour coming out. People can go to teddyswims.com to learn more about everything you're up to, but you've got, you know, you're on social media, Instagram. I love your Instagram content, obviously Spotify, YouTube, all these different places. They can see

all your videos and everything. What can we do? Where should we follow you the most to see what you're up to, how we can support you, how we can serve you watch you live where should we go all those are great places but um personally yeah i'm i'm on instagram the most i i i have way too much screen time probably man i i really i really i really just uh yesterday we went and got a new a new phone like so i could so i can i could have my old phone but i just that way if i can have one that's just for the family and also doesn't have any social media on it. So if I just want to leave this one for a day, I can just go try to separate from it. But I'm always on there. If you want to hear anything that I'm doing, I'll probably post a stupid story, a meme, anything.

Something about farts and dicks, no matter what. That's great, man. But you'll be on tour for a while right yeah we'll be we'll be uh we we got we got europe coming up and then you know australia new zealand and uh and then back in october we're in the states and oh it's it's amazing man so if uh if check out the tour dates and it's not sold out and get a ticket scalp it if you have to but make sure you see see Teddy live anywhere around the world

and if you get a chance you know because you guys do like a VIP thing people can get upgraded before or after

yeah we do like a hundred person meet and greet most of the time that's great and it's the best it's the best before the event right before the show

and it gives me all the it gives me all the energy I need before the show too you know it's I And it's the best, dude. It's the best. Before the event, right? Before the show? And it gives me all the energy I need before the show, too. You know, I find it's quite a strange thing, though, because it's such an up and down of emotion. Somebody's, like, so excited. You're smiling. But the next person you got 20 seconds with, they're, like, sobbing. And then you're, like, oh.

And then you're, like, it's just sucking loads of just up and down. You know? And so after, I'm just, oh, yeah. You're ready to go. But I love it, man'm just, oh, yeah. You're ready to go. But I love it, man. That's great, man. I love just that connection. That's beautiful.

Well, if anyone watching or listening goes and sees you at a VIP, make sure to give Teddy a big hug. Absolutely. And let him know what part of this show you enjoyed the most and the conversation that we had, what you enjoyed the most. This is a question I ask everyone at the end of our interviews, and it's a hypothetical question. It's called the three truths.

Okay. So I'd like you to imagine a world where you get to live as long as you want, you know, another hundred years if you want to, but eventually it's the last day on earth for you. And you get to create everything you want to create. You get to have the relationships you want, the career you want. You get to put the music out, everything you get to do. You dream up, it happens.

You manifest it. But on the last day of earth, you have to take all of your creations with you. This conversation's gone. Your music's gone. Hypothetically, right? And for whatever reason, this happens. But on the last day, you get to leave behind three final lessons, three final truths from your life experience. Okay. They could be verses from a line of music. They could be what's on your heart or mind right now. They could be

anything at all. If you could fast forward to the future that many years and think about what you'd want to share to leave behind, what would be those three lessons or three truths for you? I would ultimately say the same thing, man. When you talk to somebody, you make sure that they feel like they're the most important thing in the world. And you make sure that time you spend is time well spent. I think also your time is no more valuable than anybody else's, you know, again. And I guess, yeah, in the sake of time, you know, I guess that's all. Because when you ask that question, it does really make you think about the time that you have or the time that you could have or what you're leaving behind and and and i sometimes wonder if uh i before i get to the turn i also sometimes wonder if like am i doing

this to be remembered because like eventually oblivion is inevitable right so like even when i am gone at some point i'll be forgotten so am i doing this to like make little exchanges here and there or just to make the most out of my life to have a blast? Or am I doing this to be remembered? Because I always say, certainly, if I am doing this business to be remembered, I'm in the wrong business because Hitler will be remembered way after I will. Way, way long.

You know, serial killers will be remembered way after we will. So I think if you really wanted to be remembered, you'd probably just be a serial killer or something. Right, right, right. So clearly I'm not doing it for that reason. So it's always tyrants and serial killers that are just remembered forever for some reason.

I think it's like the worse you do on the world, the more you're remembered, which is kind of weird in a way. Sad, yeah, yeah. So I don't think I'm doing it for that reason, clearly. So I don't know. I never really think about what I'm leaving behind. What would be the lesson,'m leaving behind, you know?

But what would be the lesson, the final lesson you think that you'd want people to think about their lives? I think there's only, I think there are some universal truths, you know, and there are a lot of things that aren't black and white, but there are things that are black and white.

And I think it's just, you know, just love, you know, love yourself, love people, man, love people, just love people. I think there's, I believe in the inherent goodness of people. And I think everybody is, and I think there's just, uh, I think bad things happen and, and, and bad decisions are made. And I think people just have, have a reason for what you're doing, you know, and I just love people. That's beautiful. Uh, Jayden i've got one more question for you before i ask the final question i would acknowledge you man because i love how real and authentic you

are i love that i love you i love your heart i love your honesty i love your authenticity and i love that you have been committed to your dream and your voice for the last decade plus and you've gone all on all in on it most people give up a year or two into your dream and your voice for the last decade plus, and you've gone all in on it. Most people give up a year or two into their dream, and you've been 10 plus years into it, and you're just getting started now. And so the fact that you've been consistent, committed, you know, you've been bringing your friends along the way with you, giving people opportunities. And it sounds to me like you've been yourself throughout the whole journey. I think it's just a beautiful thing.

So I want to acknowledge you, man, for everything you're up to and for being of service to people, using your voice and your talent, your gifts, whether they listen, they stream something, whether they watch this or they go watch you live. It's a beautiful thing to see, man. And I acknowledge you for, you know,

doing everything but therapy and working on yourself because I think a lot of people get comfortable with where they are they stay familiar even if it's toxic or it's hurtful and the fact that you said you know what you know Dallas Diamond Page yeah I'll come and I'll do some yoga and I'll start doing some things over here and I'll try to work on myself the fact that you're doing that and not staying stuck in this while I'm this struggling artist that has to be depressed in order to make great art. That's a beautiful lesson that I want people to take away from this as well,

that you can be loving, you can be joyful, you can be growing personally in whatever ways works for you and make a difference in the world. So I acknowledge you, man. And I'm excited to, to watch your journey soar. It's a beautiful thing. One final question. Okay.

What is your definition of greatness? I think it's got to, I think, man, that's such a crazy line. I think feeling happiness, you know. I feel like greatness is, I feel like, I don't know what I want to say. What is the difference between satisfaction and contentment? You know, because I don't know. Is there a difference in those words? Because I don't want to say...

Some people are satisfied, but they're not content. It's like they can be satisfied. I feel like greatness will maybe be satisfied, but I also don't know if I'll ever do that. So it doesn't mean I'll never achieve greatness. I don't know. Maybe greatness is never being satisfied. There we go.

That's what I mean. Never being satisfied is, I think, my definition of greatness. Always striving for more and always growing. And yeah, that's a good one. Okay, we figured it out. There you go. Jaden. Teddy Swims, my man.

Thank you so much. Thank you, bro. What a great talk. I hope you enjoyed today's episode and it inspired you on your journey towards greatness. Make sure to check out the show notes in the description for a full rundown of today's episode with all the important links.

And if you want weekly exclusive bonus episodes with me personally, as well as ad-free listening, then make sure to subscribe to our greatness plus channel exclusively on Apple podcasts. Share this with a friend on social media and leave us a review on Apple podcasts as well. Let me know what you enjoyed about this episode in that review. I really love hearing feedback from you. And it helps us figure out how we can support and serve you moving

forward. And I want to remind you if no one has told you lately that you are loved, you are worthy, and you matter. And now it's time to go out there and do something great.