Teddy Swims Added As Keynote Speaker At SXSW Sydney

American soulful pop singer Teddy Swims has added another event to his stacked October itinerary across Australia, with the SXSW Sydney team announcing that he’ll be a keynote speaker at next month’s event.

The Lose Control singer will appear alongside his manager and friend Luke Conway at Darling Harbour’s ICC Sydney Theatre and feature in an in-depth discussion with journalist and co-founder of Shit You Should Care About, Lucy Blakiston.

Set to discuss their creative partnership, from posting covers on YouTube to Swims’ global success, navigating mental health, and staying true to their roots, the keynote is dubbed a must-attend for music industry professionals.

NSW Minister for Jobs and Tourism, Steve Kamper, said of the addition of Swims, “Teddy Swims is a fantastic addition to the list of creative industry voices at this year’s SXSW Sydney.

“Music is a huge part of the cultural fabric of Sydney and NSW. We have some incredibly talented artists in our community, who contribute to our state’s world-class mix of cultural experiences. SXSW Sydney is an incubator of ideas for our creative industries in NSW. It’s great to have a conversation on the future of music from one of the world’s foremost voices in contemporary music today.”

In addition to Swims joining as a keynote speaker, SXSW Sydney has added new performers including Tasman Keith, Maple’s Pet Dinosaur, Touch Sensitive, dust, and Naked & Famous’ Alisa Xayalith.

SXSW Sydney begins on Monday, 13 October, with the music industry conference and festival taking place until Sunday, 19 October. You can find out more about this year’s extensive programming here.

Earlier this month, it was announced that Teddy Swims would be the headline performer at this year’s NRL Grand Final on Sunday, 5 October, and launch his sold-out arena tour of Australia and New Zealand.

“I am so excited to be performing at the 2025 NRL Grand Final,” Swims said. He added, “Australia has always been a second home to me. Every time I am there, I am overwhelmed by how welcoming the people are. I fall more in love with the culture and just everything about it. So, to be welcomed to perform one of the biggest nights in Australia is a huge honour.”

Teddy Swims will tour Australia in October with his band, Freak Freely, on the I’ve Tried Everything But Therapy Tour.

Due to phenomenal demand, extra dates have been added in multiple cities. Shows in Christchurch, Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide, and Perth are sold out, with remaining tickets available for additional shows on the Frontier Touring website.

For his upcoming tour, Teddy Swims will be accompanied by special guest Matt Corby.

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