Before he became one of the biggest names in pop music, Teddy Swims was just a guy with a few social media accounts. I first discovered Swims, whose real name is Jaten Dimsdale, during the pandemic, when he began posting videos of himself singing on Instagram and TikTok. Like me, countless people around the world couldn’t get enough of his smooth, soulful voice.
Before long, Swims was racking up millions of views and gaining a huge following. That’s when the music industry started to take notice and signed him to a record label. His debut single, “Night Off,” blew up on streaming platforms and the rest, as they say, is history.
Back in the day, the Conyers, Georgia, native started by singing in his church choir and competing in his school’s talent shows, refining his soulful, bluesy sound. It comes as little surprise to hear Swims cite legends like Ray Charles, Sam Cooke and Marvin Gaye as major inspirations.
Thanks to lyrics that delve into themes of love, loss and self-discovery, Swims has clearly tapped into a winning formula. His breakout single “Lose Control” has garnered an astounding 2.6 billion global streams while reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and was inducted into Spotify’s “Billions Club.”
With more than 48 million monthly listeners on Spotify and a sold-out global headline tour on the horizon, the Grammy-nominated powerhouse came to the nation’s capital, performing at Nationals Park for the first time and lived up to the hype.
Swims had the ballpark hanging on his every note as delivered a captivating and melodic set that included hits such as “What More Can I Say,” “Some Things I’ll Never Know,” and “Apple Juice.” The 31-year-old then ended the night with “Lose Control” and “The Door,” ensuring that all those in attendance headed for the exits more than satisfied with the amazing performance.
