Olivia Dean has had one hell of a year. Last September, her sophomore album The Art Of Loving released to critical and commercial acclaim, perfectly crafting her breakthrough moment into the mainstream after debuting back in 2018. Weaving R&B and neo-soul in with jazz and pop, The Art of Loving kicked off a series of events that would be an absolute career high for Olivia Dean. To celebrate the first anniversary of this spectacular album, we’re here to revisit the highlights of The Art Of Loving era so far.
Winning the ‘Best New Artist’ Grammy
One of the most sought-after awards in the music award is the infamous Grammy for Best New Artist, given each year to a rising star who has broken into the mainstream. This February, Olivia Dean took the iconic Grammy home after a gorgeous performance of her hit tune ‘Man I Need’.
At a time when foreigners face heavy politicisation and criticism, Olivia’s acceptance speech beautifully acknowledged the value of immigrants in expanding culture and community across the globe. She dedicated the award to her grandmother Carmen, who immigrated from the Caribbean to the United Kingdom during the Windrush generation.
Not only did Dean’s Grammy reward the ancestral history and family support which got her to the stage, but it also celebrated years of her hard work behind the scenes. Dean began her songwriting journey at only sixteen and spent the following decade devotedly hustling to reach this peak!
Topping the charts with several hit singles
Taking out the number one spot on any chart is a dream for many artists. Olivia Dean scored her first chart-topper in the UK with ‘Man I Need’, which also reached number one in several other countries, including New Zealand, Australia and Canada. It would be Dean’s first chart entry in America, hitting number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and becoming arguably her signature hit. “I kinda like it when you call me wonderful”, Dean belted out, and the song’s reception certainly justifies that description!
Other hit tracks like the optimistic ‘Nice To Each Other’ and the dreamy ‘So Easy (To Fall In Love)’ gained extensive playlist and airplay coverage across the world. Another standout single, ‘Lady Lady’, celebrated the divine power of mother nature and explores the power found in our individual gender identities. ‘Lady Lady’ received rave reviews from critics and fans alike.
Moreover, Olivia’s 2025 duet with Sam Fender ‘Rein Me In’ broke records as the longest-running number-one single in UK music history! It spent twenty-three weeks at the top of the charts, proving how strongly Dean’s musicianship connects with so many people, as well as how smoothly she can fit into another artist’s sonic world.
Performing on late night TV
It’s undeniably tough to score a slot performing on late night TV, but Olivia Dean made it look as easy as falling in love. Throughout the The Art Of Loving rollout, she’s made multiple appearances on major shows, starting with a gorgeous rendition of ‘Nice To Each Other’ for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon last July.
In January 2026, she gave a charming performance of ‘Man I Need’ on Saturday Night Live. She followed it up that same month with a magical version of ‘So Easy (To Fall In Love)’ for The Graham Norton Show, showing tremendous growth since her previous performance of ‘Dive’ on that same stage back in 2024.
Not only did her vocal chops and stage presence impress the crowd, but her brief interviews on the live television circuit also proved her charismatic personality, further connecting with fans who love her down-to-earth persona and grassroots story.
Travelling On The Art Of Loving Live tour
The Art Of Loving’s release has been supported by Dean’s second concert tour, which is her longest yet and her first performing in larger venues including arenas. Kicking off in Glasglow, Scotland this April, the tour has taken up much of Dean’s year, encompassing over fifty shows on three separate international legs. Impressively, the tour sold out immediately and led to several additional dates.
The high demand to see Dean live significantly affected her show here in New Zealand. Originally planned to play Spark Arena on October 17th, the event sold out so quickly that Dean upgraded the venue to Auckland’s newly upgraded Western Springs Bowl, where she will be the first artist to play. This showcases how quickly she has exploded in popularity, as just last year, she played an early afternoon set next door for Laneway Festival, and headlined the Powerstation for one night to only a few hundred lucky attendees.
Olivia also took a stand for her fans when many tickets for The Art Of Loving Live landed in the hands of scalpers, going up for resale drastically above face value price. She spoke up against major ticketing outlets for allowing this practice, which she described as “exploitative and unregulated”. As a result, Ticketmaster and AXS capped resale prices for her shows and refunded fans paying more than the original cost. Bravely speaking up against taking advantage of concertgoers proves Dean’s commitment to improving the music industry for fans and artists alike.
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Making a brilliant album
The true high of The Art Of Loving is, of course, the album itself, which is a beautiful and earnest expression of Dean’s musings on love and community. Its core story of valuing human connection speaks profoundly to her character and goal as an artist to bring people together in a tumultuous, socially divided time.
The record was heavily inspired by the work of author bell hooks, who receives a shoutout in the titular opening track, as well as the visual art of American painter Mickalene Thomas and her touring art exhibition ‘All About Love’. Dean incorporates their feminist perspectives into a wise collection of material all about how we express love to one another, and how we love ourselves.
At the 2026 Brit Awards, The Art Of Loving took out the coveted award for British Album of the Year, and peaked at number one in many different countries. It has undeniably shaped what listeners can now recognise as the classic Olivia Dean sound.
One year on, it’s now time to start looking forward to Dean’s musical future as she wraps up The Art Of Loving Live tour here in Aotearoa next month. With this incredible album under her belt, fans can only get excited for more magic on its way, as there’s no telling what Olivia Dean has in store for us next!
