With a velvety-lush voice which could both melt and soothe a listener’s mind, 26 year old singer-songwriter Olivia Dean always has and continues to be a visionary to be reckoned with. The British artist has been professionally releasing music since 2019, with humble beginnings in her musical career which began with an array of EPs. With her 2023 debut album Messy under her belt, Dean is now preparing for the release of her 2025 sophomore album, The Art of Loving.
Having recently played down-under for Laneway Festival and a solo show at The Powerstation the night before the festival, Dean has been making waves both in our ears and in the music-sphere as of late. Beginning her career as a backup vocalist for British drum and bass group Rudimental, she’s now amassed over 10 million Spotify listeners and multiple award noms to her name. With no surprise to those of us who have been listening to and adoring her neo-soul and pop music over the years, Olivia Dean is deservedly on the rise. But before we dive into Dean’s upcoming release, let’s take a breath and reflect on her career beginnings and life leading up to this magic moment.
Beginnings
Hailing from London’s Borough of Haringey, Olivia Lauryn Dean was born a star destined for a life of creation, art, and music. With her parents giving her a middle name inspired by hip-hop and soul royalty Lauryn Hill, Dean’s parents brought her up in a loving environment which emphasised the importance and love of music. In 2018 Dean told Wonderland magazine that some of her musical inspirations are Lauryn Hill, Amy Winehouse, and Carole King, going on to say she enjoys “where the music reads like a book, and each song feels like the next chapter”. Her neo-soul and jazzy pop roots are heavily reflected in the artists mentioned, and it’s fate Dean followed the path of singing/songwriting because her voice was destined to be heard. Dean’s lifelong love for music is also reflected in her childhood where she participated in musical theatre, singing competitions, and gospel choir groups.
During her teenage years Dean attended the British performing arts school BRIT School. She told BBC last year that she had to travel 3 hour daily round-trips to the school, saying “I wanted to go there like hell or high water.” The drive and passion was always inside of her, yet it wasn’t until Dean finished school that she found her gateway into her undeniable musical calling.
With her professional career beginning after landing an audition to be a backup singer for Rudimental, Dean may have not been the centre of attention at first; but she quickly became acquainted with being on stage and singing in front of tens of thousands of people. In 2018 she uploaded a YouTube video covering Aretha Franklin’s ‘A Natural Woman’ in memory of one of her heroes who had recently passed away. In 2019 she released her debut EP, OK Love You Bye. Attention began to swarm Dean as the industry and listeners began to pay attention to the warmth and tenderness of her voice. For a singer so young, her sound and voice felt like that of someone who had been singing soul and pop music for decades: she was born to be the artist she is today and it was evident to everyone who listened to her from the get-go. OK Love You Bye included Dean’s first two singles, ‘Reason to Stay’ and ‘Password Change’, and the EP’s success gained her a record deal. In 2020 Dean went on to release her second EP, What Am I Gonna Do On Sundays?, which included the singles ‘Echo’ and ‘The Hardest Part’, with the latter going BPI Gold. 2020 also saw Dean receive her first award nomination for Best R&B/Soul Video for ‘Password Change’ at the UK Music Video Awards. It was always undeniable Dean was destined for greatness, and this only became more realised throughout the release of her Growth EP, leading into her debut album.
Messy
“Doing it for me / put myself on top, that love on top / bring me some release and it’s that therapy / it’s okay, no, you don’t have to give me everything: I got everything,” – ‘Ladies Room’.
After years of anticipation from her fanbase, on June 30th 2023 Dean released her debut album Messy which was a pivotal moment and major turning point in her career. Dean worked alongside producers Matt Hales (Aqualung) and Tre Jean-Marie (to name a couple), and in 2023 she told Ones To Watch that “Messy is an album about learning to fall in love again, the fear that comes with it, and finding independence within that still. It’s about being grateful for where you came from and accepting life’s imperfections.” With its 7 singles, including ‘Dive’ and ‘Ladies Room’, the album not only received high praise and went BPI: Silver, but also highlighted Dean carving out her unique place within her niche.
Listening to Messy feels timeless in that Dean’s ability to write modern pop/soul songs also feels entwined with past musicians who came before her within these musical spaces. Within the past couple years Dean has been nominated for multiple awards, such as 2023’s Mercury Prize for Messy, and 3 award nominations at the 2024 Brit Awards: Best Pop Act, Best New Artist, and British Artist of the Year. Long overdue, Dean’s recognition as one of Britain’s most powerful up-and-coming musicians was an example of what was to come from what continues to be a beautiful ascension. In between Messy and her next era, both within 2024 Dean graced the cover of Vogue Singapore and performed at the legendary Glastonbury Music Festival. These two major moments in her career signalled what 2025 had in store for her.
The Art of Loving
“Here we are, back again, fighting what’s in front of me / there’s so much to unpack again, but if I come to Italy we could be nice to each other,” – ‘Nice To Each Other’.
So far 2025 has been an incredibly busy year for Dean: touring solo shows both during and outside of the Laneway 2025 circuit, releasing the song ‘It Isn’t Perfect But It Might Be’ which is from the movie Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy – one of the most iconic British film series – and on the 3rd of June, she announced her long-awaited sophomore album, The Art of Loving. The album cover shows Dean in a state of blurred bliss – a woman who comes across as loved and held. To be truly loved by those close to you, and loved by oneself, you can find yourself in a position like Dean in which you feel all is possible and everything could be fine in the end because love’s net will catch you if you fall. The candid monochrome blur of Dean on the album cover feels reminiscent of those who came before her, such as Sade Adu: effortlessly sensual and graceful. So far, Dean has released ‘Nice To Each Other’, the lead single from The Art of Loving. The song is a strong introduction to what’s to expect from the album’s themes, emotions and soundscapes. Speaking of the song with NME, Dean said ‘Nice To Each Other’ is “a song about enjoying each other in the present! Let it be both light and meaningful.” The song’s music video was shot in one take and directed by her close-collaborator Jake Erland.
Although the album is yet to be released, knowing Dean’s emphasis on self-love, we can expect it will focus on Dean exploring the various ways in which we can love and be loved by others and our own selves. Love can be a continuous artistic expression which doesn’t need to overcomplicate what’s so deeply intrinsic to the human experience. Dean is embarking on a solo Canada and US tour in support of the album, and she’s also accompanying the one and only Sabrina Carpenter at her BST Hyde Park show on July 6th! For now we can only continue listening to ‘Nice To Each Other’ on repeat and anticipating the new world Dean is about to offer us, for what would our world and bodies be worth without love. In truth, Dean’s reminder of the power love can hold couldn’t come at a more important moment.
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Olivia Dean’s second studio album, The Art of Loving, is out September 26th. Listen to the playlist below to acquaint and prepare yourself for the release!
Pre-order the album here!
