Singer-songwriter Teddy Swims found himself on the path towards self-forgiveness when he started putting pen to paper for his debut studio album, I’ve Tried Everything But Therapy (Part 1). Though he’s released music and toured the world since making his debut in 2019, the 31-year-old Georgia-born artist has spent much of the last four years writing his way towards an album that would tell this story – his story – to the people who were ready to receive it. An emotionally walloping and deeply resonant body of work to be released in multiple parts – much like Teddy’s own journey of self-discovery – I’ve Tried Everything But Therapy (Part 1) is an album about diving headfirst into healing without any floatation devices. It finds Teddy working out some very big, very real issues through his music. “Now I’m watching people connect with the messages and stories and realizing not only are the songs helping me, but they’re also helping them too,” he says. “It feels like all that work on the back end, all that internalizing, is finally making a difference.
“My debut album is an honest look into my mental health journey. I believe therapy could really be beneficial to myself and anyone willing to take the steps to heal. But, for some reason I still have something holding me back. I know there are answers to the questions I’m not ready to ask myself. This album is my first step towards being vulnerable about this journey and the steps I need to take to heal.”