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Teddy Swims catches up with Billboard at Stagecoach to talk about his rise from early interviews to Hot 100 success, Grammy nominations, fatherhood, and what keeps him grounded. He opens up about his journey, the lessons he learned from timing, his bond with fans, and the new music he’s working on now.

He also shares stories about Jelly Roll, Lainey Wilson, Meghan Trainor, his love for Otis Redding, his baby mama drama and more!

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Music
Transcript
00:00Hey bros. What's up dudes? I paid him to say that so I look cool on my on my interview
00:07for the record.
00:16Tentress, I hope you're dressed.
00:18Well I say I hope you're not.
00:21Teddy sweeps brother.
00:23What's up?
00:24How are you doing?
00:25Love your shirt.
00:26Oh you know just for you, I want to do it for the cool people.
00:29The people I'm a fan of, you know what I mean?
00:31You know what I mean?
00:32Well thanks for hanging out at the dressing with me.
00:34You gonna kick it today? For real kick it though.
00:36Yeah absolutely.
00:36Let's do it bro.
00:37We're pumped.
00:38So excited.
00:40The artist just follows him up with it.
00:41He's got great songwriting.
00:43For country music fans, I think that makes a lot of difference.
00:45That's Teddy Swims.
00:54So Teddy my man, we've known each other quite some time.
00:57Yeah, really long time now.
00:59So I want to talk about your journey, but we gotta start by going down memory lane, okay?
01:03Okay.
01:03I want to see if you're even going to recognize any of this.
01:06Nuh-uh.
01:08Like stop it.
01:08Dude we look like babies.
01:10That's so crazy.
01:12This was 2021.
01:14It looks, it's so weird because I feel like I'm done growing, but I look such like a little kid.
01:19We both look like little kids right there.
01:20Yeah.
01:20It looks like we go so far back.
01:22We're just like at happy hour.
01:23Dude.
01:23Getting to know each other.
01:24We are at happy hour.
01:26And like you have been a long way since happy hour my friend.
01:29Like such a long way.
01:30Still stuck there too, you know?
01:32We're still kind of at happy hour.
01:34I think me and you are just permanently at happy hour.
01:37That's our vibe.
01:37The happiest one.
01:39What else you got?
01:40And this one was actually the first time I ever officially interviewed you.
01:44Oh, sweet Megan.
01:46God, that was 30 pounds ago though.
01:48Good God.
01:51Megan had reached out to me and messaged me on Twitter and was like,
01:55Oh my God, this song is amazing.
01:57Who are you?
01:58Blah, blah.
01:58Who are you?
01:59We chatted for like, you know, a second.
02:02Well, actually I think about when I see that video is how you're always the best looking in shorts.
02:06Cause I remember that day you walked in and we were like Teddy in the shorts.
02:09Crazy.
02:10Cause I'm trying to keep up with it.
02:11And that's why I wore them today.
02:14I was like, Teddy's coming.
02:15I gotta have my shorts game on fleek.
02:17You know what I mean?
02:18Still Hoochie Daddy's on now.
02:20Hoochie, I love you so much.
02:21This was a few years later when we were at Grammy's.
02:25Aww.
02:26What's up?
02:28How are you?
02:30First of all, look at this.
02:31Oh, look at you.
02:33We gotta be fresh together.
02:34You look like that sexy Aladdin over here, ain't you?
02:36Wait.
02:37Teddy Swims is gonna be sexy.
02:38And I stand by that.
02:40Sexy Aladdin is on my tombstone.
02:42It's like Tetris Kelly, sexy Aladdin.
02:45I mean, that was like Grammy week.
02:47So just even how was Grammy week for you that week?
02:50It's beautiful, man.
02:51I, you know, the best new artist nom.
02:53And then this year, you know, get another nomination.
02:56This is probably my favorite one, actually, Teddy.
02:59From topping the Hot 100 to calling into our show.
03:01What's up, Teddy Swims?
03:03Man, I'll tell you exactly what's going on right now.
03:05We're celebrating.
03:06And look at this, look at this.
03:07I know you're, you're somewhere else.
03:09So I got two shots of tequila.
03:10Oh, snap!
03:12But one of them's for you and then one's for me.
03:14But we're gonna celebrate this together.
03:15But you're not here, so I'm gonna take both of these.
03:17You got two shots of tequila.
03:18You got two.
03:19You got two.
03:20I mean, but it's like incredible to me because it's like you were in Vegas, I think.
03:27Yeah.
03:27And you had just got the Hot 100 number one.
03:30No, what a, what a night too.
03:31And I, I mean, I woke up and God, I was, or I don't think we slept really, man.
03:36And we were trying to do the promo like the next morning.
03:39And we had to be there like eight.
03:40And I think I was up till seven, you know, just dragging through.
03:43They call it, um, the Vegas flu is what they told me.
03:47It was called.
03:47So I said, they said, don't worry.
03:48It happens all the time out here.
03:50It's fine.
03:50We get it.
03:51You know, I totally understand.
03:53Don't you know, I lose control.
04:01We were staying at Safari.
04:03And this morning we could hear him do soundcheck.
04:05And I hear, lose control.
04:08And he was like going in and I was like, yeah.
04:10I have a daughter that drove from San Diego today to see Teddy Swift.
04:14Yeah.
04:14I want to talk to you about like, when you started to understand that you had fans and you had
04:19these people that care so much about your music and so much about your career.
04:23So like, what was the first moment you were like, somebody came up to you and like, you're
04:26like, wait, I'm making a difference.
04:28Yeah.
04:28You know, I think I, it's, it's so funny because the, okay, I'll tell you like, it's, it's
04:34going to be a little TMI, but, um, the first time I'd ever heard myself on the radio.
04:38And I think God is so funny in this way because you know, when you're on a tour bus, you
04:43can't
04:43go number two.
04:44So I'm like, you know, holding, like I'm like clenching from my life, dude.
04:49And, and so I, we finally stopped at this loves truck stop and I run in there and I'm,
04:55I'm, as soon as I'm sitting down on the toilet and I'm like, just having this most violent
04:59episode of my bowels.
05:01I hear the door starts playing and I'm, I'm just laughing to myself.
05:05Cause I was like, you know, the people at loves will never understand that the guy singing
05:08this song right now is having the most violent diarrhea in this, in the middle of nowhere,
05:14you know, America, wherever we were.
05:21Okay.
05:22You had the number one song, the Grammy nominations.
05:25Like, do you have like Teddy swims goals that you're like, this is what I want to check
05:30mark.
05:30This is what I want to accomplish next.
05:32Yeah.
05:32But I feel like every time I meet one, I'm like in a grateful way, but I'm never like
05:38satisfied.
05:38As soon as I get one, like goal, it's like, you know, when you could, I guess like the
05:44human eye sees like 20 miles ahead.
05:46Right.
05:46You know, so as soon as you get that 20 miles, you're seeing 20 more miles and you're like,
05:50ah, there's still much further to go.
05:51So I, I always try to celebrate the wins, but, but I still have, I don't know if like,
05:56there's like a goal I'm trying to get to, but I want to be the best, you know, and I
05:59want to be the best ever.
06:00And I, and I, I try to just be where my feet are and know that again, with time and
06:05goodness,
06:05this is where I'm supposed to be.
06:06And this is why I'm supposed to be using my, and I just also want to, I want my son
06:09to think
06:10I'm cool.
06:10And that's, that's it for me, really, man.
06:12I was like, he's my A and R bro.
06:14If I see him start doing this when I'm playing a song, I'm like, that's a single.
06:17I don't care what anybody says.
06:21I just love his music.
06:23He's just so good.
06:24Mr. Know-It-All, his brand new song that he just came out.
06:26Oh, I love that one.
06:26Oh, it's so good.
06:27We heard it two weekends back to back at Coachella.
06:29So we're so excited that he's here at Stagecoach.
06:31We're like, this is why we're coming, just tennis courts.
06:34Yeah.
06:34What's up, sexy boy?
06:36We'll see you later.
06:37Love you, man.
06:38Your energy is so good with people.
06:40I love that.
06:41Like, I feel like that's a really important part of what you do.
06:43I'm happy to be, I'm happy to do what I do.
06:45It's my best favorite people, you know?
06:47It's a great day to be us.
06:49I mean, you said favorite people.
06:50You've had, like, such great support, I feel like.
06:52Yeah.
06:53You're one of those artists that, like, is other people's favorite artists, you know what I mean?
06:57Yeah.
06:57Oh, man.
06:58This guy.
06:59I was so honored, to be honest.
07:01Teddy joined us, and I was in heaven.
07:04How do you feel about Teddy?
07:06We have the same wabasabi voice.
07:09Do you know the term wabasabi?
07:11I know.
07:11Wasabi is something that comes with sushi.
07:14Mm-hmm.
07:14It's spicy, and in fact, it's an adjective.
07:18Ah, wasabi.
07:19Nice boots.
07:20Wasabi it is.
07:20Okay.
07:22Wabasabi, W-A-B-I dash S-A-B-I, means that which is perfect, because it's a little effed
07:29up.
07:30My voice, very wabasabi.
07:33Like this.
07:34And Teddy and I have that voice.
07:37It sounds like distance.
07:38It sounds like experience.
07:40What's insane to me is the David Lee Roth of it all.
07:47Can you talk about, like, how did that even happen to have him be a part of this?
07:52He happened to be rehearsing next to us in Burbank, like, a few weeks ago.
07:56And so, you know, we started chatting it up, and I asked him, I was like, would you come
08:01out and do Coachella with me?
08:03Would you just, you know, do it?
08:04Yeah.
08:04He's actually coming again today to do it.
08:07Again, he's like, he's like, it's so funny, though, because he's so old, like, that he
08:13doesn't learn how to use his phone, so he tries to get on the phone with me, and he calls
08:17his manager to call my manager to put us on a four-way call.
08:20Just to say the most random stuff, he was telling me this crazy story about he was in
08:25Taiwan doing this thousand-mile bike ride for, like, two months, and we were camping
08:29everywhere, and I had this JBL speaker under my balls, and he's like, I made this 13-hour
08:34playlist, and I want you to listen to it.
08:36Think about me on my jungle bike in Taiwan.
08:39And I was like, I was like, okay, bro, I'll listen to your 13-hour play.
08:43He's on and off stage, just, like.
08:45Yeah, still the biggest guy ever.
08:46Yeah, dude.
08:47Nothing but rum and coach.
08:48That's how he survived at 72 years old.
08:51I don't know that I've ever asked you this.
08:52I hate rum.
08:53What's your spirit of choice?
08:54Yeah, I'm a tequila girl, for sure.
08:56Okay, yeah.
08:56We're both tequila girls.
08:58Love that about us.
08:59100%.
08:59And then, also, Lady Wilson.
09:01Yeah, dude.
09:01Another great friend of yours.
09:03Hanging out with her on stage.
09:04What's that relationship about?
09:04Oh, she's so cool, man.
09:05Well, her boy, Dallas Wilson, our boy, Dallas Wilson.
09:10He's written so much with me.
09:11He's one of my first people I ever met.
09:12He'll be out here today, too.
09:14But he writes everything with Laney.
09:16And so, we've been really close for a while.
09:18I love Laney.
09:19She's so kind.
09:21She's getting married in a couple weeks, too.
09:22Do she told me?
09:23Yeah.
09:23So, she's like, boy, I get off stage at stagecoaching.
09:28I'm going right into my bachelorette party.
09:30I said, girl, I don't know how you're freaking doing it, girl.
09:32I'm lying.
09:33She's her little country ass.
09:35Who is your favorite vocalist?
09:37I'm like, dude, Otis Redding's my favorite of all time.
09:41He's like, he's who I want to be in channel as like a vocalist.
09:45Otis is the one.
09:46Sitting in the morning sun.
09:50We played the interview earlier of you and Megan.
09:52Like, that was like, that song, that moment was so early in your career.
09:56Yeah.
09:56So, how was it to have that support at that point?
09:57Dude, I mean, she's still been like, I talk to Daryl all the time.
10:01They just had their girl, too.
10:03Yeah, which is insane.
10:04Oh, man.
10:05She's like, I think she's the precipice of what like a musician and a mother and just the balance.
10:11The balance of it all.
10:13I think like she's been such a steady hand in my life and to watch somebody really have the balance
10:18and know it.
10:19Like her and Thomas Rhett, too.
10:21Yeah.
10:21He just finally had his first boy, too.
10:23Like five of them.
10:24And I'm like, got a beautiful family, five kids and still doing it at such a high level and staying
10:30so humble and kind to his family and being there and being everywhere all at once.
10:34Yeah.
10:34It's like, I can't say more about a person and a parent and a performer.
10:40And now you're doing it.
10:40Yeah, I try.
10:41I hope so.
10:43When we talk about your life and you're like in Vegas, you're at stagecoach, you're at the Grammys.
10:47Now that you're a dad, like what is life like?
10:49Like how is it to raise this beautiful?
10:51Dude, it's so cool.
10:53You know, the longest I've had to be and I FaceTime him every day, but long as I've had to
10:56go without him has been three weeks.
10:57And that's it's so hard when you're like when he's 10 months old, you know, like every day is such
11:02a new chapter of like new things that he's doing or figured out, you know, and it's such a wild
11:07thing to see.
11:08Like the other day, my buddy of mine bought his German Shepherd.
11:12And this was a couple of months ago.
11:13He brought a German Shepherd over and, you know, Rambo like looked at him and was like, what the hell
11:17is that?
11:18And I was like, oh, you haven't seen an animal before, son.
11:20You know, I forgot that like these small things that I take for granted every day.
11:24It's the first time.
11:25Yeah, it's every and every food that he bites and tries.
11:28And it's just like, what the hell?
11:29And then I kind of like that, you know, and it's and I took these small little things for granted.
11:33And he's like really taught me like the beauty of like watching him discover everything is so fascinating.
11:39And it's so like I take so much for granted that I just I have at all times, you know,
11:45and I don't know how beautiful things are until I see him like, you know, like I can't wait to
11:49watch him like try Coca-Cola or something, you know, be like, you know, and just be like, well, the
11:53limit.
11:53You have to do the limit.
11:55You know, I got a video of the limit.
11:56It's hilarious.
11:58Hilarious.
11:58And like, what was the first moment you share?
12:00I know your dad's here right today.
12:01So like, what was the first time you called your parents or your mom?
12:04It was like, hey, oh, my God, I can't believe this is happening.
12:06You know, that was the first thing when I first got the best new artist nomination.
12:10And we were in Spain at the time.
12:11And I called my dad and, you know, I heard on video, too, of him just being like, well, hot
12:17dog, son.
12:18Look what you've done, buddy.
12:19I'm so proud of you, baby.
12:21And he's my first call for everything.
12:24You know, he's having him out here.
12:25He's my hero.
12:26And I like, you know, getting to share these moments with him and thinking about how proud he is.
12:31He cries at every show, you know, and now having a son, too, I always think like, you know, whatever
12:37he does, if it's not this, whatever, you know, but whatever he does, I hope that I get that opportunity
12:42one day to be like, wow, look at him up there doing his damn thing, you know, doing his thing
12:48and whatever that is.
12:49You know, and I just, it's such a beautiful thing, man.
12:52Watching him be a granddad is the coolest thing ever, you know.
12:56My favorite relationship of yours, I gotta be real, Jelly.
12:59You and Jelly are just, are Jelly.
13:02You guys are in this, so like, what's it like to have him in your car?
13:04Well, you know, we've kind of both come up like together at the same time, you know, like, he's always
13:10been like him and Struggle Jennings, his dear friend.
13:13He's like, I remember when I was still just Jaden Dimmesdale on online, like, my first little covers on YouTube
13:19and stuff, they would always be like, this is the best singer in the world.
13:22Like, I had maybe a thousand followers, but Jelly was like, you are the greatest of all time.
13:26He's done that at heart.
13:28He's been, he's been by me through, so like, we both kind of done this together and I've just, every
13:33time we see each other, just so proud of each other.
13:36Hey, bros.
13:38What's up, dude?
13:39I paid him to say that, so I look cool on my, on my interview.
13:43For the record.
13:51So we've been talking about like the journey. Lessons. I want to know what's the biggest lesson you learned.
13:56Um, you know, I, I think that timing is, is such a viable thing that I've learned, you know, I,
14:04I, so much in my life I wanted to like have it right now, you know, and get it.
14:08And I'm so grateful. I, some kids can handle, you know, like Benson at 23 can handle this life and
14:14be just fine. And it's such a man about it. But if I would have gotten this at 23, I
14:19would have, I would have put that up my nose.
14:21You know, I would absolutely ruin that. I would have absolutely, and I, I'm so grateful that I have the,
14:25I don't know, the life lessons along the way and the, the, the person, I'm glad I got it at
14:3133 that I know how to handle this now.
14:33And I'm, I'm not, I would absolutely spun out. I think if I would have, but I wanted it so
14:37bad then, you know, and I'm so grateful it's the time it was.
14:40And, and I think timing has been the biggest lesson in my life for that.
14:43You know, timing is extremely important.
14:45We just saw him backstage talking to you guys earlier, actually.
14:49Yes.
14:50I wanted to say hi so bad.
14:52I love those guys that were just like, Teddy.
14:54Yeah.
14:54What do you think about like how you've grown in that way with the fans and like that vibe?
14:57Like what's your relationship like with them?
14:59Uh, dude, I, I, I, I'm, I'm constantly consistently grateful.
15:03I think, you know, I, I, I, I found too, the biggest thing for me is sometimes it's like the
15:077 AM and you're at the airport and you've slept three hours and, and, and somebody's like, hey, can I
15:13get a picture?
15:14And you got to like, I, I, I, I now, instead of like trying to put on the face and
15:17be like, you know, I used to try it, but if I don't got it now, I, I just started
15:21to like try to meet them where I'm at.
15:23Just take, be honest with like, Hey man, I'm so excited to see you.
15:26Sorry for my lack of enthusiasm.
15:27I'm at like 30% right now, girlfriend.
15:30And, and I just, but I do love you and I want you to know I'm here, but my enthusiasm,
15:34I'm two right now, girl.
15:36So I do love you and I appreciate you.
15:37And I'm happy to take a picture.
15:39And you know, but if you just tell them you're at 30, they're, you know, people are more kind.
15:42And cause I used to like exhaust myself with, Hey, you know, even about, yeah.
15:46Yeah.
15:46And it's, it's unrealistic.
15:48And so I just try to be grateful and prioritize my gratefulness regardless of the, you know, and not try
15:54to be too Chuck E. Cheese all the time.
15:57You know?
15:58Yeah.
16:00Thank you so much.
16:02Cheers.
16:02Cheers.
16:02Cheers.
16:02Cheers.
16:06I mean, you're talking about the single or what's next and playing new music.
16:09Tell me something.
16:10You got to give me some, what are you working on?
16:12Where's the vibe going?
16:13So we're, we're working on a lot of stuff.
16:15Um, I've, I've been like super, super into like, I don't know, like, you know, Bill Collins
16:20and like, like, you know, like stinging the police lately.
16:23It's kind of, it's our stuff is a little more like that way.
16:27And still with the soul, nor be elements in it.
16:30But I've been really kind of in that, that world, I think.
16:32And, and so I'm, I'm, I'm looking forward to what we're putting out.
16:35And, you know, I'm having a lot of baby mama drama right now.
16:37So there's a lot of, uh, there's a lot of that that's going on in the music too.
16:41And so.
16:41You're telling the stories.
16:42Yeah.
16:42That's what you did at being a storyteller.
16:44Yeah.
16:44I hate it for her though.
16:45Cause she's, she's not gonna like these songs.
16:49We will like them.
16:50We will reminisce them.
16:51Thank you so much, man.
16:52Thank you, bro.
16:52I can't wait to see you tonight.
16:54And thanks for letting me be a fan of yours and hanging out today.
16:56I love you, man.
16:57I love you more.
16:57Thank you for wearing my t-shirt, my mom.
16:59I got you, man.
17:00All right.
17:00One, two, three.
17:02Taxi.
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