“That lady, lady she’s the man/I think she’s got a master plan,” is proving to be true when it comes to singer-songwriter Olivia Dean. The 26-year-old Best New Artist Grammy nominee has skyrocketed to stardom in what feels like overnight. People can’t seem to get enough of her album “The Art of Loving” which was released this past September. Dean is here to stay telling her stories of love with beauty and grace.
As much popularity as her current album has gotten her, especially with the song, “Man I Need,” her first song to gain recognition was back in 2023 with, “Dive.” “Dive” is a part of “Messy” which was her first studio debut album. At the time of its release it peaked at number four on the UK album charts. That album also earned her BBC’s Music Introducing Artist of the Year award in 2023. With her success over the pond, her time here in America has been just as successful, if not more.
Her latest album “The Art of Loving,” blends jazz, modern soul, and pop into one beautifully sounding record. Having put off listening to the album in its entirety until now, I can attest that I was missing out on greatness. Dean is bringing back soft girl love songs and classy takes on breakups and self-awareness. She’s got the heart of Adele, the rasp of Amy Winehouse, and the classiness of Ella Fitzgerald.
One quality about Dean’s songwriting that I love is her ability to tell the story of relationships with honesty and respect. As much as the industry can chuckle at a good cheeky significant other take-down song, there’s so much more creativity in ballads that portray love complexly.
“Let Alone The One You Love” on “The Art of Loving” does exactly that. Written by Dean along with Bastian Langebaek, Max Wolfgang, and Deschanel Gordan, this song is so beautifully honest. The song is about being in a relationship where you notice you’re being undervalued and disrespected more than you are loved. Dean’s vocals portray her frustration and loss of herself as she realizes people don’t treat friends like this or their lovers.
She sings, “It’s too much to mend/You’re the hug that had to end/Though I’ve tried to hold on/And, if you knew me at all/You wouldn’t try to keep me small/Who would do that to a friend, let alone the one you love?” Dean also touches on not having to dial back herself or dim her light for someone who doesn’t accept her. She does all of that while giving this jazzy emotional vocal performance.
Other songs on the album that encapsulates her artistry are “Baby Steps” and “A Couple Minutes.” “Baby Steps” has the ultimate theme of healing and finding yourself again. Hence the title and taking things one step at a time. The notion that healing is a gradual process is one that isn’t talked about enough in music. “A Couple Minutes” is about the bittersweet nostalgia of reconnecting with someone. It’s raw and intimate as she sings, “Back on your sofa/Of course I still care/Love’s never wasted when it’s shared/And although it’s over/I’ll always be there/Only have a couple minutes, guess we’re going back to real life.” There’s something beautiful about accepting closure and being okay with love leaving. It makes her relatable to the audience as opposed to other artists.
And finally, a fan favorite song that’s currently trending is “So Easy (To Fall In Love).” The song title is exactly how it feels to listen to Dean’s music. The light and whimsical vibe to this track makes it so easy to love the way this music is presented. Quite frankly, it’s addictive and what I’m dubbing, “The Olivia Dean effect.” That effect is the wanting and yearning to appear as calm, confident, and feminine as Dean. She oozes poise and elegance which is lacking in today’s music industry. She also pays direct homage to soul and R&B influences is such a great way.
Dean’s vocals, aesthetic, and songwriting are hopefully going to take her extremely far in the industry. She already toured with Sabrina Carpenter on her final leg of the “Short n’ Sweet” tour and made her SNL performance debut. Dean also recently announced “The Art of Loving Live 2026” for the USA and Canada. If you’re lucky enough to catch Dean this upcoming year, make sure to be nice to each other and never let the silence get so loud!
