One of the best things about YouTube and the internet is that it lets people discover things that they wouldn’t have otherwise.
In the days of old legacy media companies, people would have to work in obscurity for quite some time in order to develop a fanbase and to find their own path.
Over time, you could try to take meetings or get projects in front of creative executives, but even that wasn’t a promise of success. Fortunately, you can now just upload your videos and performances to YouTube and grow a whole new audience that way.
At least, that’s what the performer in today’s video decided to do.
The performer we’re talking about is Teddy Swims, an American singer and songwriter from Atlanta, Georgia.
Although he’s definitely not a household name, Swims has made a name for himself online over time.
Though he was once a football player, he’s also the son of a Pentecostal preacher and has developed his own uniquely soulful style as a result. Although he also has plenty of hip-hop influences, his voice shines through it all in a soulful and resonant way.
At the very least, that’s the case for this video.
The song that Swims sings in the video is “I Can’t Make You Love Me,” a classic R&B song from 1991.
It was originally sung by Bonnie Raitt, an American blues and country artist. The original version of the song has a somewhat country sound to it and is a mid-tempo song.
When Swims does it, he brings his own flavor and delivery to it. For one thing, the production is a lot airier and smoky. More importantly, Swims’ voice is so delicate and gentle—but he’s completely on point the entire time.
Though it’s great at the beginning, it only gets better as the performance goes on.
Although he doesn’t seem like he would have an incredible voice, Swims has one of the most soulful voices we’ve ever heard.
By the time he gets to the chorus, Swims’ voice soars and reaches incredible heights. Although he’s great at singing in a low, smoky register, he’s also able to stretch his voice and power it out whenever he needs to.
Since the clip was uploaded, it has been viewed nearly three million times on YouTube—but it’s only growing from there.
And if you liked this video, Swims has plenty more performances on his channel that are worth checking out as well.
For those who want a more modern or upbeat R&B version, Swims also does an awesome cover of “Let Me Love You” by Mario.
Once again, Swims and his band have an entirely new take on a much beloved song. They slow it down slightly and from the very beginning, Swims’ voice is just as soulful as ever.
Although it’s a tricky song to sing, Swims finds his own unique way to skate through all the vocals, easily jumping from low to high notes. Once again, the video only has a couple million views… so far.
Needless to say, Swims is a real talent and is using YouTube to his fullest advantage. And we’re expecting great things from him in the future.
Congratulations to Teddy Swims on his newfound success! Be sure to watch the entire performance in the link below:
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