Teddy Swims is the stage name of Jaten Collin Dimsdale, an American musician who became popular in 2019 and 2020 for his soulful song covers, like the song “Valerie.”

Initially written by the indie rock band the Zutons with a garage-pop sound, Mark Ronson and Amy popularized it as a Motownesque crowd favorite.

How Teddy Swims reshapes the song

Drawing from a long lineage of Southern soul and modern R&B, Swim’s vocal timbre moves between a grainy chest register and a clean head mix. The notes are whispered rather than belted out.

The syllables are tight, with small shifts for flavor. The timing is something you feel more than analyze.

Swim embraces a slow burn during the chorus, focusing on warmth rather than volume during the song’s pivotal moment, with the lone guitar leaving space for Swim’s vocals to take center stage.

Any musician who attempts to follow in Amy Winehouse’s footsteps runs a significant risk. You can’t out-Amy Amy, which Swim realizes. He does something smarter by adapting her subtle swing, but swaps the sharp edges, leaning into tender warmth.

There are nods to Amy’s version. The cadence of the pre-chorus keeps that light syncopation that listeners expect, but he relaxes to transition into the chorus smoothly.

Teddy Swim’s approach to music obviously resonates with his fans. The cover has 18 million views as of 2025, and it’s not even his most popular! Other covers, such as Shania Twain’s “Lose Control,” have over 300 million views.  

You can subscribe to his YouTube channel and view other amazing covers here.