Teddy Swims Will Never Be a “Perfect Man”
Last updated: September 18, 2026
Teddy Swims is done chasing perfection.
The GRAMMY-nominated, Diamond-certified singer has released his new single “Perfect Man” while announcing his highly anticipated second album, UGLY, arriving January 22, 2027 via Warner Records.
Listen to “Perfect Man” HERE and watch the performance video HERE.
Pre-order/save UGLY HERE.
“Perfect Man” Is About Letting Go of Perfection
“Perfect Man” turns the pressure to have everything figured out into a soulful reflection on self-forgiveness.
The song explores the impossible standards people place on themselves — particularly when they feel responsible for the people around them. For Swims, that idea has become even more personal since becoming a father.
He wrote UGLY over the past 15 months following the birth of his son, using the album as an outlet for self-reflection and growth as both a man and a father.
“Perfect Man” is a song about self forgiveness. In my life, I’ve held myself to a standard that is completely unrealistic.
Swims says he has been particularly hard on himself as a partner, father and someone who knows that people rely on and look up to him.
He also wants the song to open up conversations around insecurity rather than hiding it.
“I truly believe our insecurities and our quirks are signs of strength rather than weakness.”
The central idea lands in the song’s hook: “There’s no such thing as a perfect man.”
And that idea runs through the entire record — accepting that imperfection isn’t necessarily something to fix.
“The beauty of chasing perfection is knowing we will never reach it,” says Swims.
A Soulful Build From Piano to Full Band
“Perfect Man” begins with the intimacy of an orchestral piano ballad before expanding into a warm full-band arrangement.
Soulful backing vocals, strings and horns gradually build the track into something much bigger without losing its vulnerable core.
The accompanying performance video brings that arrangement to life.
Swims performs with his own band and backing singers alongside a four-piece string section and four-piece horn section.
He appears in an intentionally distressed classic white pinstriped suit — a visual detail that mirrors the song’s central idea of embracing imperfection rather than trying to hide it.
Watch “Perfect Man” HERE.
Teddy Swims Announces UGLY
UGLY will be Teddy Swims’ highly anticipated second album and follows a period of major personal and professional growth.
The album was written over the 15 months following the birth of his son, giving Swims a different perspective on relationships, fatherhood, responsibility and the expectations he places on himself.
The project is scheduled to arrive January 22, 2027 via Warner Records.
Pre-order/save UGLY HERE.
“Perfect Man” Follows “Break Up in Reverse”
The new single follows “Break Up in Reverse,” another deeply personal release from Swims.
The song was accompanied by a video built around a striking visual concept: Swims sings as a bulldozer moving in reverse seemingly rebuilds the domestic life that had fallen apart around him.
Watch “Break Up in Reverse” HERE.
Together, the releases point toward an era that appears more introspective and personal for the singer.
From “Lose Control” to a New Era
Swims enters this next chapter following an enormous run with “Lose Control.”
The Diamond-certified hit became a defining song of his career, topping the Billboard Hot 100 and multiple radio formats.
It also spent 112 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, making it the longest-running song in the chart’s history at the time it exited under Billboard’s recurrent-song rules. The track has surpassed 5 billion global streams, according to the release campaign.
Swims also wrapped a sold-out global tour and earned his second career GRAMMY nomination.
Now, instead of trying to recreate that success, UGLY appears to be moving the conversation somewhere more personal.
Listen to “Perfect Man”
Teddy Swims’ “Perfect Man” is out now on all major streaming platforms.
🎬 WATCH THE “PERFECT MAN” PERFORMANCE VIDEO
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Teddy Swims’ new album UGLY coming out?
Teddy Swims’ second album, UGLY, is scheduled for release on January 22, 2027 via Warner Records.
What is Teddy Swims’ new song?
Teddy Swims’ new single is “Perfect Man,” a song about self-forgiveness, insecurity and letting go of unrealistic expectations.
What inspired “Perfect Man”?
Swims says the song was inspired by the unrealistic standards he has placed on himself as a partner, father and public figure.
Where can I listen to “Perfect Man”?
“Perfect Man” is available now on major streaming platforms.
What comes after “Perfect Man”?
Teddy Swims is preparing for the release of UGLY on January 22, 2027, while heading into his The UGLY Tour, which begins in September 2026.
