Bashfully, he confesses the song made him a millionaire (“so I can’t be too mad at that girl any more, can I?”) but he’s learning that making money means spending money.
“A million dollars goes so fast,” he says. “Once you put 66 people on a tour, with all the gear and all the lights, it’s right out the door as fast as you get it.
“Twenty bucks still means what 20 bucks meant to me before, but the amount coming in and out is such a scary thing to look at sometimes.”
As we speak, he’s in rehearsals in Pennsylvania, ahead of his first European arena tour, which includes two nights at Wembley this March.
The stage has just been built for the first time, and he’s eager to acquaint himself with all the ramps and video walls. The music… not so much.
“I wouldn’t say I’m already sick of the songs, but we’ve been playing them non-stop for two weeks now,” he says. “I can’t wait ’til people sing along, so I can fall in love with them again.”
If you’ve been to a Teddy Swims show, you’ll know he lays his heart on the line.
There are countless videos, external of him sobbing as he performs Some Things I’ll Never Know, external, a song about abandonment and grief. For the upcoming tour, he’s playing it back-to-back with a new tear-jerker, Northern Lights, that dives even deeper into heartbreak.
He’s going to be a mess – but Dimsdale insists it’s a good thing.
“Every day I try to cry a little bit,” he says. “It’s just pain leaving the body.
“And it’s a constant reminder that, whatever you were going through, on the other side of it there’s happiness.”
With his bearded and tattooed face, you might not expect such emotional intelligence – but Dimsdale’s model of masculinity wasn’t afraid to share his feelings.
“I’m my daddy’s son,” he says. “He’s just a sensitive man. He’ll tell you he loves you, he’ll tell you he’s proud of you. Man, I’ll still sit there, laying in his arms while we’re watching TV on the couch.”
“He’s the most beautiful, humble human being I’ve ever met. Second to only Jesus Christ.”
So, the obvious question: Is dad excited to become a grandfather?
“He’s doing backflips,” laughs the singer.
“I’m almost scared to have him as a granddad, because I want my kids to think I’m cool, too.”
