WORDS WILL MAXWELL / IMAGES JOE JONES
I was first introduced to Teddy Swims last July when I went to review his show at the Albert Hall (https://allmusicmagazine.com/teddy-swims-social-media-sensation-at-the-albert-hall-manchester-uk-10th-july-2023/). Back then, even with his insane social media numbers, it felt a bit like he was a well kept secret. His fans loved him, but he hadn’t reached mainstream media yet.
That has now changed. Lose Control has been a huge radio hit, and he has released debut album I’ve Tried Everything But Therapy (Part 1). So has the man himself changed?
Not one bit. Walking on stage to huge cheers from his devoted fan base, the funky ‘Goodbye’s Been Good To You’ gets us started.
Backed by his band Freak Freely, he switches between more up tempo tracks like ‘Broke’ to tender tracks such as ‘dose’ without disrupting the flow of the evening.
Frequently interacting with members of the crowd, accepting gifts, trying on their hats, and mainly stealing their sweets, it’s clear how highly his fans think of him. He returns the love after almost every song, sincerely thanking the fans for the opportunities he has been given. His voice would crack later when the crowd chanted “Teddy! Teddy! Teddy!” He promotes a message of positivity throughout, encouraging us to connect with friends we haven’t seen for a while and to tell those close to us that we love them, and his fans hang on every word.
The emotional songs keep coming, with the anthemic ‘All That Really Matters’ and tender ‘Evergreen’ again showcasing his versatility. It’s hard to pigeonhole him to a particular genre, but his stunning, soulful vocals suit everything from the high energy tracks to the ballads.
The acoustic ‘Simple Things’ and ‘Amazing’ captivates everyone, and the piano driven ‘Some Things I’ll Never Know’ gives the night a more intimate feel.
His cover of Shania Twain‘s ‘You’re Still The One’ has 165 million views on YouTube, so it’s no surprise that this gives us the biggest singalong moment of the evening so far.
That is until ‘Lose Control’. This huge song has spent the last three months in the UK Charts and has been a real breakthrough moment for the Atlanta, Georgia singer-songwriter.
‘The Door’ brings the evening to a close, a song about heartbreak but also self empowerment. That is the perfect way to sum up the evening. A tidal wave of emotions, brought to us by one of the finest voices of his generation.
Teddy Swims star continues to rise and shows no sign of stopping yet.
Setlist
1/ Goodbye’s Been Good To You
2/ What More Can I Say
3/ Broke
4/ 911
5/ Dose
6/ All That Really Matters
7/ Devil in a Dress
8/ Apple Juice
9/ Evergreen
10/ Suitcase
11/ 2 Moods
12/ Simple Things
13/ Amazing
14/ You’re Still The One
15/ Growing Up Is Getting Old
16/ Bed on Fire
17/Tell Me
18/ Lose Control
19/ The Door
FOLLOW TEDDY SWIMS
My life is a soundtrack, i track my life through music, photography is my passion, my escape, my expression. Without both i have pieces missing, thankfully i’m blessed and get to combine both.
Born in Manchester, lived in Australia for 22 years where i was heavily involved in the Australian Music Industry, firstly in bands (Singer) and then managing bands (all original), I moved back to the UK, Wales specifically 10 years ago
