American singer Teddy Swims has confessed that his live act made a mere US$20,000 (AU$30,669.91) in 2024.
The 33-year-old, who made a controversial appearance at this year’s NRL Grand Final, said it was the first time in five years of touring that he and his band had made a profit.
Swims, whose real name is Jaten Collin Dimsdale, made the comments during Monday’s episode of Triple M Sydney‘s The Rush Hour.
‘I’m doing ok,’ Teddy told hosts Anthony Maroon and Nathan Hindmarsh, after being asked about whether he was ‘making heaps of money’.
‘Last year was the first time that we had kind of broke even on touring and I actually made money for the first time,’ Swims explained.
‘So this year we’re kind of in the black and, you know, finally making money.
American singer Teddy Swims has confessed that his live act made a mere US$20,000 (AU$30,669.91) in 2024. Pictured: Swims at the NRL Grand Final earlier this month
The 33-year-old made the comment during Monday’s episode of Triple M Sydney’s The Rush Hour. (Pictured during the NRL Grand Final)
‘But it took five years of touring for us to actually really start seeing anything, you know.’
The Lose Control singer, who begins a tour Down Under this week, said that ‘a lot of people’ think that if rockers are playing arenas, they are doing ‘great’.
‘But a lot of times we’re, like, barely breaking even if that… I think we made like, 20 grand or something like that.
‘Last year was the first time we ever made [money]. But everybody’s paid and everybody’s fed, so I would say that’s successful, but now we’re finally in the black.’
After kicking off his Aussie tour with gigs at the Qudos Arena in Sydney, the Grammy nominee will head to Queensland for two sold-out shows at Brisbane Entertainment Centre on October 18 and 19.
Swims will finish up his Australian tour in Melbourne with two more sold-out concerts at the Rod Laver Arena on October 22 and 23.
It comes after Swims’ controversial appearance at the NRL Grand Final in Sydney two weeks ago.
While some felt the American performer killed it, others were unimpressed by Swims’ setlist and confused by his odd choice to wear a traditional Scottish kilt on stage.
Swims told listeners that 2024 was the first time in five years of touring that he and his band had made a profit. (Pictured on the Rush Hour)
The hitmaker ran through a short set that included his smash hits The Door, Bad Dreams and Lose Control, as well as a cover of the AC/DC classic TNT.
Aussie viewers had bold thoughts on the performance, with some calling it ‘horrendous’ and others comparing it to the infamously disastrous gig played by Meat Loaf at the 2011 AFL Grand Final.
‘Meat Loaf was better in the AFL Grand Final than this. Dude’s got a great voice, but this sucks,’ wrote one person on X.
‘Okay I’ll start. Wtf is this s**t?’ asked one viewer, with another chiming in, ‘Teddy Swims is horrendous.’
Not everyone was perturbed, however, with several sharing positive thoughts on the performance.
‘Teddy is killing it,’ gushed one fan, with another saying, ‘Loving the music. What a great voice.’
One more chimed in: ‘This is the best TNT I have heard in a very long time.’
‘How good was @teddyswims. What a voice. Great choice for pregame entertainment,’ said another.
Someone else wrote: ‘NRL finally beat the AFL entertainment. Teddy Swims is fantastic.’