Teddy Swims he pours his feelings into his art.
The two-time Grammy nominee, 33, released his powerful new single, “Break Up in Reverse,” on Friday, July 10, after revealing his split from his girlfriend, Raiche Wright.
The song's lyrics capture Swims' desire to undo a failed relationship. “Each night can get better instead of worse / I've been watching you slowly slip back into my arms,” he sings during the song's chorus. “Say goodbye to me at the beginning / And love me at the end.”
The “Lose Control” singer also alludes to Wright's domestic situation, singing in the song's second verse, “You'll be on your way back from Massachusetts / Bet it breaks the stars' hearts if we use 'em as an excuse.”
Swims confirmed Friday that “Break Up in Reverse,” which follows the April release of “Mr. Know It All,” is autobiographical.
“'Break Up in Reverse' affects me a lot right now and where I am in my life. When I was writing this song and my next album, I was going through it when my relationship with the mother of my child ended,” he said in a statement, referring to Wright, with whom he has a 12-month-old son.
Teddy Swims with Raiche Wright
Neilson Barnard/Getty Images for The Recording AcademyThe “Bad Dreams” singer went on to share that “Break Up in Reverse” was inspired by the rapper. Us' 2001 single “Rewind.”
“We liked the way every song happened in reverse,” he explained. “So we thought, 'How cool would it be if we took the same idea but wrote it about my relationship' with the caption 'Say goodbye to me at the beginning and love me at the end.'”
Love and heartache. Throughout history, dozens of musical artists have dedicated entire albums to their significant others or masters, and as a result, have created some of the greatest works of all time. One of the earliest and most famous examples in popular music is Frank Sinatra's 1958 album Only the Lonely, which he released after his song. […]
Swims first confirmed her split from Wright, 30, during a Q&A at Stagecoach in April.
“I'm going through a situation with my little mom, there's a little bit of heartbreak,” he said at the time before assuring the crowd that he's still “in a good place” in his life. “I have a 10-month-old baby … and he's the sweetest baby in the world. [music] not being a father is a difficult thing because no one wants to hear anything but my father's songs.”
Wright has also spoken publicly about her breakup with the singer, recently sharing that the exes are still adjusting to parenthood.
“The thought of splitting time with my child 50/50 has been the hardest reality I've ever faced,” she wrote on her Instagram Story on Tuesday, July 7. “When I dreamed of being a mother and having children, I never thought this would become my reality. My heart aches, and my stomach is in endless knots. My heart goes out to anyone who has experienced this.”
