Generally speaking, we don’t tend to venture into the world of mega-popular artists all that often. Sometimes though, something strikes such a chord with us here at Penta that we just can’t ignore it. So, this month we’re going to slow things down a little. It’s time for some really smooth jams… September 15, 2024, marks the first anniversary of the release of “I've Tried Everything but Therapy (Part 1)” the debut album from a big man with an even bigger voice.
There’s a decent chance you’ve seen Jaten Dimsdale, or Teddy Swims as he’s better known, on social media before. There’s an even better chance that you’ve heard him. Since his breakout hit “Lose Control” was released in June 2023, it has racked up over a billion streams on Spotify alone. But who is he and how did he get to this point?
After discovering a passion for performance in high school theatre, Swims began singing and performing in a wide variety of different bands in Atlanta. Everything from alternative rock to R&B and soul (this wide array of influences is reflected in his album, but more on that later…). He began posting covers to YouTube in June of 2019, quickly building a following and racking up millions of views. The subsequent five years have seen him move from strength to strength, transitioning into writing his own songs and carving out his own spot in contemporary pop music.
On to the album itself, “I've Tried Everything but Therapy (Part 1)” is just over 30 minutes in length, but it manages to pack a lot in during that relatively short time frame. As we mentioned, there’s a variety of different influences and Teddy Swims explores lots of these different genres, with moments of R&B, country, pop and light rock all cropping up. It never feels inconsistent or overcomplicated though, and that can be largely attributed to the real star of the show… his voice.
Simultaneously gravelly yet smooth, Swims possesses a rich and soulful baritone that is packed with emotion and depth. It’s the kind of voice that many people would be jealous of. In fact, it seems almost effortlessly good, as if he has been blessed with a natural talent. If it were anyone else singing these songs, they probably wouldn’t be anything extraordinary… but it’s not, It’s Teddy Swims and he nails it.
So, when it came to picking a song to go into our playlist for this month. Penta Sounds Volume 42: Damn Good Voices, we were spoilt for choice. Both “Lose Control” and “The Door”, singles from the album and his biggest hits, could have made it in there. We decided to take a slightly different approach though, “Flame” The album’s penultimate track is just straight vocals backed up by a bouncy reverb-soaked guitar riff (until some awesome horns come in at the end) and is the perfect example of what Teddy Swims is all about.
Given that it is such a big part of what we do, and our focus in our hotels, we also have to mention Teddy Swims’ style and aesthetic. If you haven’t already, take a look at one of the links in the paragraph above. Not only is he a stylish man, but he also makes use of warm and beautiful colour palettes in his work, and often has furniture that wouldn’t look out of place in the Pentalounge.
We’ll keep our conclusion short and sweet… If you don’t already know Teddy Swims and “I've Tried Everything but Therapy (Part 1)” then check it out. If you have already heard it, this is your sign to spend the next half an hour listening to it again.
Still credits: “Teddy Swims - The Door (Live)” uploaded to YouTube by Teddy Swims
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