Every TikTok musician trying to make a name for themselves from the comfort of their bedrooms can only dream of the kind of viral success Teddy Swims has achieved.
The singer, 31, sat down with Metro.co.uk to discuss his recent collaboration with Rockstar energy – which saw him giving a surprise performance in Reading train station to hordes of delighted fans – and his quick rise to fame.
As the music industry weathers rapid change thanks to the effects of social media, many have decried TikTok and other video platforms as the death of true music as an artform instead of a marketing tool.
But Teddy couldn’t disagree more, explaining that he thinks social media has democratized a music industry that’s historically been elitist and exclusive.
‘I think it’s a beautiful thing, because there’s room for everybody to be successful and get what they want and find their audience,’ he says in his syrupy Georgia accent.
He continues noting that many musicians balk at the idea of building a social media following because they’re precious about their art. To Teddy, that’s foolish pretense.
‘They think they’re an artist, but they’re not an entertainer, and so they don’t want to do the content. They don’t really see how much of an opportunity it is. It can be authentic to you. I think it’s been a beautiful thing to see that if something feels authentic, people can connect to it.’
He continues: ‘It puts the power in the people’s hands to decide what songs break, and if that means a 12-year-old in his bedroom or the signed guy to the label, its all up to the people.’
Teddy, whose soulful covers gained viral fame before his original music took off, has a lot to thank social media for. Currently the 69th most listened-to artist in the world according to Spotify, his song Lose Control has well over a billion streams, largely due to its extreme virality on platforms like TikTok, where he has 7.6million followers.
Explaining the inspiration for the song, he says: ‘I was in a really rough place, and I got really codependent on this lifestyle I was living with this person and you know, you can love somebody, but maybe they’re just not good for you. And I think we all have been through that. And it’s never too late to just say no and get out of that.’
He pauses, considering how the song’s meaning has changed as more and more people have connected to it: ‘I think the way that we’ve been able to turn that song into something everybody can listen to, and it almost feels like a hype fun song, you know. It’s almost like we’re celebrating that trauma in a way, and changing the way we think about it.’
Teddy’s social media presence isn’t exclusively about his music, he also uses it to connect candidly and directly to his fans. For an artist whose fame came suddenly, staying close to his roots and maintaining authenticity is a top priority. Even more than that, it’s what he credits with his success.
‘When I started writing about my own journey and being vulnerable, that’s when things started connecting,’ he explains.
He continues, describing how he used to have a hard time managing to show the amount of enthusiasm he wanted to during fan interactions, saying: ‘I realised getting stopped in, like an airport, it’s 5am or something, right? And I don’t always have the face, the big mask to put on.
‘But I’ve realized, instead of saying no to somebody, or being awful to somebody, you know, it’s so easy to turn around and say, look, “It’s 5am I got like three hours of sleep. I love you so much, and I’m so grateful, but sorry, I have like 20% of enthusiasm for you right now. Just please bear with me, but I love you.” And yeah, people are like, “That’s great. I’m so glad you said that.”‘
Connecting with fans is central to what Teddy sees as his purpose as an artist, something he demonstrated with his recent surprise performance at Reading train station in collaboration with Rockstar Energy Drinks.
He describes the event with obvious enthusiasm: ‘We had the piano set up over there, and, you know, I was miked up and we played three songs. It was really cute. Man, we caused quite a commotion too. I got to meet a lot of people and hug some necks and take some pictures, and it was really beautiful. Man, we caused quite a scene.’
A significant English fanbase is an unexpected but welcome surprise for the Georgia native, whose country twang is as distinctive as his heavily tattooed biker vibe.
‘Everything for us here has always been a little bit better than back home,’ he explains. ‘You know, it’s always here kind of first. There’s always been a love for soul and emotionally driven music here. So I think there’s a better heart for what I do here. I think I’m really connected to people here.’
Still, its distinctly American music the artist gravitates towards for inspiration, sharing that if he had to choose one artist to listen to for the rest of his life he’d pick Stevie Wonder.
It’s clear that even the suggestion that he may be big enough to collaborate with Stevie Wonder is still something Teddy struggles to believe, though the idea makes him giddy.
‘I remind myself to be grateful,’ he says as he considers his suddenly found fame.
‘I want to make sure I’ll look back at these times in my life and be like, “Man, it was so awesome, and I was so here for it.”‘ he says earnestly.
Swims’ rise is proof that in today’s music industry, authenticity and digital platforms can be a winning combination, helping artists connect with listeners on a more personal level.
As the debate rages on about the future of the music industry, Teddy Swims is a good reminder that perhaps things aren’t quite as dire as we may think.
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