Olivia Dean‘s sophomore effort The Art of Loving dropped on September 26, marking a sharp step forward for the East London-raised singer who’s been climbing the UK’s live circuit with her blend of neo-soul and classic pop. A BRIT School alum who cut her teeth as a backing singer for Rudimental, Dean has racked up over 10 million monthly Spotify streams, sold-out European tours, and nods like Amazon Music’s Breakthrough Artist in 2021 and BBC Music Introducing’s Artist of the Year in 2023. She’s shared stages at Glastonbury and Later… with Jools Holland, drawing from influences like Amy Winehouse and Carole King while flipping covers of The Supremes and Nat King Cole. Shortlisted for the Mercury Prize and up for BRIT Awards, Dean channels that groundwork into an album that feels both lived-in and forward-leaning, all while unpacking love’s everyday mechanics.
What stands out on The Art of Loving is its stripped-back setups—think subtle bongos pulled from a Laurel Canyon jam session, a smooth Rhodes organ nodding to Brill Building grooves, and those crisp bah-bah-bahs echoing Motown’s tight harmonies. Drawing from bell hooks‘ All About Love and visual artist Mickalene Thomas‘s glittering take on the same ideas, Dean and co-producer Zach Nahome keep things lean, letting small touches pop: a glassy five-note piano line threading through ‘Nice to Each Other’, or horns doubling up post-chorus on ‘Let Alone the One You Love’. It’s economy in motion, turning potential filler into hooks that stick without overreaching.
Dean’s delivery seals the deal, her voice hitting that mid-ground—not the powerhouse belt of RAYE or Jorja Smith‘s edge, but a steady glow that could coax shade from a streetlight. Tracks like ‘So Easy (To Fall in Love)’ lean into bossa nova swings that match the easy rhythm of a solid first hang, while ‘Man I Need’‘s 12/8 sway turns routine into ritual. Sure, spots like ‘Close Up’ and ‘Baby Steps’ flirt with retro overload, and some lines tangle in familiar turns of phrase, but the whole set works as low-key soundtrack material—ideal for chopping veggies or folding laundry, where its warmth turns the mundane sharp. Dean knows the stagecraft here, staging clips for ‘Nice to Each Other’ and ‘Man I Need’ on obvious sets that wink at old Hollywood illusions, proving she’s got the chops to keep evolving beyond the blueprint.
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