Swimming is Mac Miller’s fifth studio album and the follow-up to his 2016 LP, The Divine Feminine. It is also the last album released during his lifetime, as Mac passed away on September 7, 2018. Mac’s break up with singer Ariana Grande and his 2018 DUI arrest serve as inspiration for the album’s thematic structure and ‘swimming’ metaphor. Rather than drowning in his perennial struggles and broken heart, Mac is trying to swim to shore. Throughout the album, Mac explores the conflict between his struggles and a newfound sense of positivity and optimism. Swimming details Mac’s life experiences since The Divine Feminine as he tries to move forward with his life. Ultimately, as his final work, Mac offers a catharsis, portraying a strong desire to develop self-love, personal healing, and psychological growth that so many fans gained, and resonated with, from listening to his music.