Gaining traction as an artist to watch in 2024, Auckland singer-songwriter Will Swinton shares a heart-wrenching, yet hypnotic new single and music video “Letting Me Down” out now. "Letting me down is a song about loving someone that doesn't love you back," said Will Swinton on the meaning behind the track.
The track tempers Will’s starkly emotional vocals with loose acoustic guitar. His words cuts deep as he opens up about a turbulent and toxic relationship without filter. Pushing back against the weight of heartache, he makes a confession on the chorus, “I’m tired of loving you, always letting me down.” It illuminates the emotional eloquence of his songcraft and voice all at once. The accompanying visual deftly captures this mood. A static shot depicts Will’s routine on a solitary evening. From its distant angle, it evokes loneliness and longing, giving form to such feelings on screen.
It arrives in the wake of “Harmless.” Mundane Magazine applauded his “powerful stadium ready voice,” and Happy Mag assured, “With ‘Harmless,’ NZ artist Will Swinton cements his place among music’s upper echelons.” “Harmless” also picked up the momentum from “Daydream.” The latter has not only clocked over a millions of streams, but it has also earned acclaim reaching number 5 on the Hot 20 New Zealand Singles Chart. Beyond a plug from Rolling Stone, Sweety High proclaimed “He beautifully captures the angst of unrequited feelings.” While The Honey Pop stated, “We’re in love and completely obsessed with the Auckland singer-songwriter.”
Will Swinton released his debut EP Better Days in October 2023. The EP capped a flurry of momentum for the fresh face. In 2022, his independent single “All For You” cracked the Top 10 of the Hot 20 New Zealand Singles Chart, while “Better Days,” “Wasted You” and “Leave In The Morning” landed in the Top 15.
So far, he has tallied north of 100 million views on TikTok. Beyond collaborating with the likes of Claire Rosinkranz and finding a fan in MGK, Swinton has performed everywhere from SXSW in Austin, TX to The Great Escape in Brighton, UK, and Primavera in Barcelona, Spain. This past year he supported Dermot Kennedy on the New Zealand leg of his tour and performed on mainstage at New Zealand’s largest festival, Rhythm & Vines. This past January Will Swinton made waves with his debut home-country headline tour in New Zealand.
Singer-songwriter Will Swinton crafts relatable, soul-baring songs that other artists wish they’d written themselves — just ask Machine Gun Kelly, whom Swinton met by chance at an Idaho bar in July 2022. MGK was “intrigued” by the 22-year-old New Zealander — enough to invite Swinton to his Mainstream Sellout Tour show in Spokane, Washington.
Independently Swinton achieved success with his July 2022 debut single, “All For You,” which hit No. 6 on the Hot 20 New Zealand Singles Chart, followed by the similarly refreshingly honest “Wasted You,” climbing to No. 15 on the same chart. Altogether, he’s generated 100 million TikTok views and nearly 10 million global streams in the span of a year. Swinton’s emotionally tinged Better Days debut EP, further solidifies his unique sound and unquestioned potential for global resonance. Standout tracks like the title “Better Days” and the anecdotally vulnerable “Leave In The Morning,” produced alongside Rory Noble (Burna Boy, Ruel) illustrate Swinton’s refreshing musicality.
Hailing from Auckland, New Zealand the former trampoline park employee took a leap of faith spending all his savings on a lifechanging flight to LA chasing his music dream. Fast forward, he’s now signed to 10K Projects and Capitol Records enhancing his artistry. He garners acclaim from Rolling Stone, writes with the likes of Claire Rosinkranz, sells out headline shows in addition to playing a slew of global festivals and recently opened for Dermot Kennedy.
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