Olivia Dean is a 27-year-old English singer and songwriter from Tottenham, London. Born Olivia Lauryn Dean on March 14, 1999, she is one of Britain’s biggest music stars, and in February 2026 she won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist at the 68th Grammy Awards on February 1, 2026. Her second album, The Art of Loving (2025), topped the UK Albums Chart and produced her first UK number-one single, “Man I Need”.
Quick Facts
| Full Name | Olivia Lauryn Dean |
| Age | 27 years old |
| Date of Birth | March 14, 1999 |
| Birthplace | Tottenham, London, England |
| Occupation | Singer, Songwriter |
| Genres | R&B, Pop, Soul, Neo Soul, Jazz |
| Education | BRIT School |
| Years Active | 2017–present |
| Labels | AMF Records, Virgin EMI, EMI, Capitol, Polydor |
| Partner | Eddie Burns (drummer) |
| Known For | “Man I Need”, “Dive”, The Art of Loving, Grammy Best New Artist 2026 |
| Nationality | English |
Who Is Olivia Dean?
Olivia Dean is an English singer and songwriter known for her soulful R&B and pop songs, including “Dive”, “Man I Need” and “Nice to Each Other”. Her accolades include four Brit Awards and a Grammy Award. Her debut album Messy (2023) earned a Mercury Prize nomination, and her second album The Art of Loving (2025) topped the UK Albums Chart. She won four awards at the 2026 Brit Awards, including British Artist of the Year, and the Grammy Award for Best New Artist in February 2026. Her duet with Sam Fender, “Rein Me In”, became the longest-running number-one single in UK chart history, spending 23 weeks at number one as of July 2026.
Early Life & Background
Olivia Dean was born on March 14, 1999, in Tottenham, North London, and grew up in Highams Park in east London. Her father is English and her mother Christine is a lawyer of Jamaican and Guyanese descent. Her maternal grandmother, Carmen, emigrated to the United Kingdom from Guyana aged 18 as part of the Windrush generation. Actor Ashley Walters, who was a rapper in So Solid Crew, is her cousin, and she has a younger brother. Dean received her middle name Lauryn after Lauryn Hill. By the age of eight she knew she wanted to be a singer, and in primary school she sang “Tomorrow” from the musical Annie in a competition, so nervous at first that she turned her back to the audience.
At the age of fifteen, Dean was accepted by the BRIT School, a highly selective performing arts school in Croydon, travelling an hour and 45 minutes each way. She initially studied musical theatre, then switched to songwriting for her final two years, and at the school she became close friends with classmates Rachel Chinouriri and Raye. Her inspiration for songwriting was ignited at seventeen when a teacher played Paul Simon singing “Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes” with Ladysmith Black Mambazo.
Career
Dean began writing songs at age 16, teaching herself the guitar and piano, and at 17 she performed on the South Bank in London, barely making enough money to buy dinner. She performed her first show at the Sziget Festival in Hungary in 2017 before a crowd of 16,000, and was hired as a backing vocalist for Rudimental after an audition. In October 2018 she self-released her debut single, “Reason to Stay”, and after the song was streamed millions of times she signed a recording contract with AMF Records and Virgin EMI Records in 2019. Her single “OK Love You Bye” and her debut EP followed in November 2019, and she was chosen as BBC Introducing London’s Featured Artist of the Week.
During the COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020, Dean toured the UK in a bright yellow truck painted with her name, a daisy and a Black Lives Matter logo, delivering open-air performances in her “From Me to You” tour, sometimes to as few as five or ten people. She released further EPs, including Growth in July 2021, and in April 2021 she was named Amazon Music’s breakthrough artist of the year. Her debut full-length album, Messy, was released in June 2023 and was nominated for a Mercury Prize, and in November 2023 she was selected as BBC Music Introducing Artist of the Year. She performed at Glastonbury Festival in 2024, a childhood dream, and released the single “Time” that June.
Dean’s second album, The Art of Loving, was released in September 2025 and topped the UK Albums Chart. Its singles included “Nice to Each Other”, “Lady Lady”, “Man I Need”, “So Easy (To Fall in Love)”, “A Couple Minutes” and “Baby Steps”; “Man I Need” became her first UK number-one single, reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100, and made her the first female solo artist to simultaneously have four singles in the UK Top 10. On November 16, 2025, she was the musical guest on Saturday Night Live. She also criticised Ticketmaster and Live Nation over inflated resale prices for her The Art of Loving Live tour, and won refunds for fans. In January 2026 Billboard named her Rookie of the Year, and the following month her duet with Sam Fender, “Rein Me In”, became the longest-running number-one single in UK chart history. In February 2026 she won four awards at the 46th Brit Awards and the Grammy Award for Best New Artist, dedicating her acceptance speech to her grandmother Carmen and advocating for the benefits of immigrants. In October 2026, a lawsuit was filed claiming her song “I’ve Seen It” copied Grover Washington Jr. and Bill Withers’ 1981 single “Just the Two of Us”.
Facts About Olivia Dean
- She received her middle name Lauryn after singer Lauryn Hill.
- Her grandmother Carmen emigrated from Guyana as part of the Windrush generation, and Dean dedicated her Grammy acceptance speech to her.
- She attended the BRIT School, travelling an hour and 45 minutes each way to attend.
- Her duet with Sam Fender, “Rein Me In”, became the longest-running number-one single in UK chart history.
- She won four awards at the 2026 Brit Awards, including British Artist of the Year and Best Pop Act.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Olivia Dean?
Olivia Dean is 27 years old. She was born on March 14, 1999, in Tottenham, London, England.
Did Olivia Dean win a Grammy?
Yes. Olivia Dean won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist at the 68th Grammy Awards on February 1, 2026.
Who is Olivia Dean’s partner?
Olivia Dean has been in a relationship with American drummer Eddie Burns, a band member for Clairo, since April 2025.
What is Olivia Dean’s biggest song?
Olivia Dean’s biggest song is “Man I Need”, her first UK number-one single, which reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100.
Where is Olivia Dean from?
Olivia Dean is from Tottenham, London, and grew up in Highams Park in east London.
How old is Olivia Dean?
Olivia Dean is 27 years old. She was born on March 14, 1999, in Tottenham, London, England.
Did Olivia Dean win a Grammy?
Yes. Olivia Dean won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist at the 68th Grammy Awards on February 1, 2026.
Who is Olivia Dean’s partner?
Olivia Dean has been in a relationship with American drummer Eddie Burns, a band member for Clairo, since April 2025.
What is Olivia Dean’s biggest song?
Olivia Dean’s biggest song is Man I Need, her first UK number-one single, which reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100.
Where is Olivia Dean from?
Olivia Dean is from Tottenham, London, and grew up in Highams Park in east London.