Teddy Swims has inspired people the world over with his powerhouse vocals and chart-topping hits, but who inspires the singer himself?
None other than his girlfriend, Raiche Wright, also a singer-songwriter who frequently joins him on stage and shares insight into their love via social media.
The loved-up singer told Pucker Up how close the two have grown and how much she enjoys her boyfriend's company. "He's a good partner," she said. "He's fun, he's got a good attitude all the time, and everything we do together is fun."
For his part, Teddy, whose birth name is Jaten Collin Dimsdale, loves that his partner is in the same industry as him; he told The Kyle & Jackie O Show, "She does what I do, which is great."
"Because it's like maybe 3 am, and I'm calling her, and she's like, 'Yeah, yeah, I'm in a session. I'm recording vocals.' And I'm like, 'Girl, yeah, handle your business, baby.'"
Join HELLO! as we take a deep dive into the Massachusetts native who has captured the heart of the 'Lose Control' singer.
From duets to tattoos: Inside their romance
The couple were first linked in February this year at a Grammys party and subsequently began posting about each other on their respective Instagram accounts in March, signalling the beginning of their romance.
They publicly announced their relationship in May when Teddy invited Raiche to sing with him at a concert in Dublin. The pair sweetly sang 'You're Still the One' by Shania Twain together and shared a smooch in front of thousands of fans. Raiche joined Teddy for the remainder of his tour and was often brought out to duet with the 31-year-old in a loving display of artistic respect.
Since then, the couple have frequently given fans an insight into their love, like when Raiche posted an Instagram video of her boyfriend spitting out his gum into her hand, which she put in her mouth and chewed on. If that isn't love, I don't know what is! She wrote, "Just two peas in a pod" in the caption, highlighting that their similarities extend beyond their chosen industry.
The loved-up duo also share couples tattoos, as shown on Raiche's Instagram in June this year. The image featured Teddy tattooing his girlfriend, which she sweetly captioned, "His and Hers tattoos w/ my baby". They now have each other's names tattooed on their finger [Teddy] and wrist [Raiche], as well as the tattoos they gave each other.
Raiche’s roots in Massachusetts
The singer-songwriter grew up in Massachusetts before settling in Atlanta, where she lives now. Her family still reside in her hometown, and she revealed to Berkshire Magazine that she tries to visit as often as possible.
As a biracial woman, Raiche's music was influenced by her cultural surroundings as a child; she told the publication, "There were a lot of cultural elements that influenced me as a Black and white woman growing up in the Berkshires and seeing both sides." The singer wrote her first song at around eight years old. "I'm pretty sure I still have it in a little box with other family memories back home," she recalled.
The 28-year-old's mother influenced her love of music from an early age, as she was a worship leader. "Singing at Reigning Love Church in Pittsfield with my mom and being in school plays was also a catalyst for me to find out that I could sing. I got a lot of positive feedback from that," she said. According to her website, she would often "just grab a mic and practice" with her mom, developing her unique sound, which has led to her success today.
Overcoming setbacks to her dream
Raiche had big dreams of going to college and establishing herself as a recording artist that were sadly sidelined due to trouble that befell her family's business. According to her website, the singer moved back home and took on multiple jobs to help with the bills. "I believe in God, so I felt like if it was meant to be, it would be," she said of the life change.
Still holding out hope that she would be able to make music professionally one day, Raiche began posting covers and original songs on Instagram. "I was working for my mom at Essencials Day Spa in Pittsfield as a receptionist at the time," she told Berkshire Magazine.
"I listened to coffeehouse-type music when I worked there, like Adele and Norah Jones, which influenced the covers I did." The artist finally moved to Boston to start her career when her grandmother "basically kicked [her] out of town" to follow her dreams.
Hitting the big time
After moving to Boston, Raiche connected with producer DJ KnockOut, who saw a spark in her and introduced her to industry connections, who signed her through the Genre Defining Entertainment record company. About a year and a half later, the R&B singer got the call that changed it all; she would be signed to Atlantic Records, one of the foremost record companies in the world.
Her debut EP Drive dropped in 2019, and her full-length album Loveland was released in 2023; she can now add a Coachella performance, BET and Billboard interviews, and a popular single with Ebro Darden to her ever-growing resume.
She told Berkshire Magazine that she is already working on her next project and is enjoying the creative freedom this time around. "I would love to use my platform to make an impact in a positive light," she said. "I don't think I'm always going to be able to preach a perfect message through my music, but I see it as an honest, creative expression of my love."