Since rising to fame with YouTube covers, Teddy Swims has quickly become known as one of the best vocalists currently in the world of pop music. His combination of an incredibly rich tone and unique, gritty vocals have captivated audiences around the world and launched him into superstardom, with his biggest hit “Lose Control” becoming one of the most streamed songs of this decade. 

After a lowkey show at the Hordern Pavillion last year, Swims has returned to Sydney to sell out three consecutive shows at Qudos Bank Arena (alongside a headline NRL Grand Final gig which introduced him to an even greater subsection of the Australian public consciousness). 

The night was kicked off by Matt Corby who performed a short and sharp set. His biggest hit “Brother” was a crowd favourite, as the rings of his falsetto reverberated through the crowd. Corby is not dissimilar to Swims in his tone and approach and was a fantastic opening act for the audience (most of whom came early to see the Aussie star play). 

Swims started his set powerfully with “Not Your Man”, with his rich vocals coming through immediately, well-supported by the pulsating drive of the song in the drumbeat. For many of his songs in the set, Swims added more lead guitar than on the recordings and when he gave prominence to the guitar in the opening number it was a chill-inducing moment. 

While there may have been concerns about a sophomore slump after the success of Swims’ first album, Swims allayed these concerns by opening with some of the strongest songs from his second album “Hammer to the Heart” is the ultimate power ballad, with the beauty of Swims’ belting register shining through nicely. The sultry “Bad Dreams” was equally loved by the crowd while “Funeral” and “Guilty” showed off the singer’s fragility. There is a very strong argument that Swims’ second album is actually better than his first, and that is saying something. 

Swims was charming and personable but also avoided any lengthy narrative or histrionics, preferring to let his voice do the talking in the 25 song set. As the show progressed, it became even clearer just how remarkable Swims’ voice is with his discography taking him through country-tinged numbers to pure gospel tracks and his voice handling all the transitions with ease. This was a man with complete mastery of his instrument and someone who was unafraid to show it off. 

Swims was equally well-supported by his superb backing band, featuring incredible vocalists, guitar players, a drummer and a stunning keyboardist. It is clear that Swims values top level musicality around him and it showed throughout the set. 

Many of Swims’ earlier songs were break-up tinged (“I’m so grateful for my sh***y ex-girlfriend,” he said at one point) but there were some beautiful love songs performed towards the middle of the set. “Need You More” and “Small Hands” were exquisite, with the latter being about his young child. There was definitely some familiarity about some of his songs, with “Some Things I’ll Never Know” evoking similar feelings to “Bless the Broken Road” but with Swims’ powerful voice, this only allowed him to shine further. 

After performing a cover of Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Goin’ On”, Swims launched into “Lose Control”, which was an apt way to describe the crowd reaction. At times, it was hard to hear Swims as the crowd got lost in an ethereal wave of joy and passion. 

“It feels so good to be back here in the best f***ing country in the world,” Swims said. “Thank you for letting me have the best job in the world.”

Swims returned for an encore and closed out the night with a poignant performance of “The Door”. Given that the song is very similar sonically to the opener “Not Your Man”, it was a great way to bookend a wonderful night of music. 

When considering the overall experience, this would have to be one of the best nights of music I have seen in the past few years. Swims just gets everything right. He has a great backing band, songs that suit and show off his voice perfectly and the right amount of vulnerability and emotion that engenders connection with his audience, allowing them to feel special when in his presence. Swims is technically flawless and at the top of his game right now. If there was ever an artist to see live, Swims would be the one you would not want to miss. 

Rating: ★★★★★

Teddy Swims – Qudos Bank Arena – 14^th October, 2025 

Photo credit: Claire Marie Vogel