David Lee Roth recently opened up about his collaboration with Teddy Swims at Coachella. He shared details about how their partnership came together in an interview with Rolling Stone.
The Van Halen frontman explained how the collaboration developed organically during rehearsals at a well-known facility near Van Nuys Airport. When asked about how the collaboration with Teddy Swims came together, Roth provided insight into their first meeting.
“We rehearse at a very famous place called Third Encore, which is near the Van Nuys Airport. Most of Coachella rehearses there because it’s got giant facilities with all the power requirements and the proximity to all the tech resources, all within bicycle distance,” Roth said. “And we’re all across the parking lot from each other.”
Roth described his approach to meeting new people at the rehearsal facility. He referred to himself as “the old gray wolf” and “keeper of the tribal knowledge.”
“There, I am the old gray wolf. Keeper of the tribal knowledge. Ancient rabbi. My best opening is, ‘You look important. Who are you?’ And you can say that to the Queen of England and she’ll say, ‘Well, this is my castle.’ ‘Well, I’m not inaccurate. Call me Dave.’ And that’s how it always starts,” he explained.
The initial contact came through Teddy Swims’ crew members. They were curious about Roth’s rehearsals.
“Three of Teddy’s fellas came over from his crew: ‘Hey, can we stick our head in? We heard some songs.’ I said, ‘Certainly. Come on in.’ Two days later, they brought 36 of his crew over. Teddy got FOMO,” Roth recalled.
Roth noted that Swims is a longtime fan. He specifically requested to watch the rehearsal once he learned about Roth’s presence at the facility.
“He’s a longtime fan [of mine]. And he asked, as soon as he found out that I was in there, can he come over and watch the rehearsal? We got along like pirates. We had a few drinks well into the night. And our voices are very much the same,” he said.
The rock legend emphasized their shared background and similar approach to music.
“We have a cantankerous sense of humor. We come from a working-class background in music. A lot of places where there’s sawdust on the floor. Today, there’s a generation who does not know what that is. Teddy knows what that is,” Roth concluded.
The collaboration resulted in a live performance together at this year’s Coachella festival.
This unexpected partnership comes during a particularly active period for both artists. They continue to make waves in their respective musical spheres.
David Lee Roth has been experiencing a notable resurgence in recent months. The Van Halen frontman announced a surprise Las Vegas residency in late 2025 at the Sphere. He sold out three shows in December with special guest appearances from Sammy Hagar. Roth has been teasing new collaborations in interviews, including a January 2026 appearance on the Roth Army podcast where he hinted at upcoming projects. This has fueled speculation about his future musical endeavors.
Meanwhile, Teddy Swims has been riding a wave of momentum following his breakout performance at Coachella 2025. His set at the Sahara Stage during Weekend 1 became a viral sensation. He blended his signature soul-R&B hits like “Lose Control” with unexpected covers that earned him widespread acclaim. The performance resulted in a 30% spike in his Spotify streams and significantly elevated his profile in the festival circuit.
The timing of their collaboration is particularly noteworthy given Swims’ recent commercial success. In March 2026, he released his sophomore album “I’ve Tried Everything But Therapy (Part 2).” The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart. This achievement has positioned him as a major player in the festival landscape. Rumors are circulating about potential slots at other major events like Lollapalooza.
While the two artists come from different musical generations and genres, their collaboration represents an interesting bridge between classic rock and contemporary soul-R&B. Roth’s recent activities have focused primarily on classic rock revivals and collaborations with rock veterans. Swims has been touring with pop-soul acts and building his reputation in the modern festival scene. Their unexpected partnership at Coachella demonstrates the festival’s continued ability to create unique musical moments that transcend traditional genre boundaries.
