How Olivia Dean Became the Year’s Most Exciting New Artist
British singer Olivia Dean claims her first Grammy for Best New Artist, cementing her status as pop’s most exciting new star with global hits like Man I Need.
British singer Olivia Dean cemented her place as one of pop's biggest breakout stars on Sunday, winning the Grammy Award for Best New Artist in Los Angeles.
Dean arrived at the ceremony as a frontrunner, thanks to her upbeat, heartfelt romantic pop songs like "Man I Need" and "So Easy (To Fall in Love)," which became transatlantic hits last year.
Despite competition from fellow British singer Lola Young and R&B artist Leon Thomas, she triumphed, making her the first British singer to win the Best New Act award since Dua Lipa in 2019.
Accepting the award, she said, "I stand here as the granddaughter of an immigrant." "I am the product of bravery, and I think that should be celebrated."
The star also performed a spirited version of her UK chart-topper "Man I Need," which was previously chosen as Radio 1's Hottest Record of 2025.
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Her golden gramophone trophy makes her one of pop's most promising new names, joining a list of previous Best New Artist winners that includes Amy Winehouse, Billie Eilish, Adele, and Olivia Rodrigo.
She was presented with the award by last year's winner, pop star Chappell Roan.
The moment was the culmination of a slow-burn success story that began with Dean's first EP, "Okay Love You Bye," in 2019.
Since then, she has experimented with various genres and sounds before settling on the tender, jazz-tinged vocals of her second album, "The Art of Loving."
Late-night conversations
Born and raised in Highams Park, North-East London, Dean knew from a young age that she wanted to be a singer. From afar, he had watched his cousin – So Solid Crew rapper and actor Ashley Walters – reach the top of the charts; but it was another Londoner who truly inspired him.
"People always try to say something cool when they talk about their first record – but I remember my nan taking me to Woolworths to buy Leona Lewis's 'A Moment Like This' CD single."
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His debut album, Messy, was nominated for the Mercury Music Prize; but it was last year's The Art of Loving that truly brought him recognition. A close-up portrait of matters of the heart, it reached number one on the UK Albums Chart and gave him three consecutive top 10 singles.
The entire album was composed and recorded in a rented house in East London, where Dean eschewed big-name writers and instead invited his closest collaborators to spend two weeks with him, with mixing sessions interspersed with good food and late-night conversations fuelled by "lots of red wine."
That easy, unforced approach shines through the entire record – its stories of love and loss told with a casual informality, like your best friend confiding their secrets.
"Man I Need" became his breakout single in the US, reaching number two on the Billboard charts. Speaking to the podcast …And The Writer Is, he said it was inspired by Michael Jackson's 1987 single "The Way You Make Me Feel" and Haribo's intensely fizzy Tangfastics sweets.
"I came in that day and there was so much energy in the room," he recalled. “And I said, ‘Guys, let’s make something really fun. I want to make something I can dance to. I want to make something that when I perform it live, it’s just absolutely banging.’
“We started with a drum beat and I said, ‘Yeah, I want to do something that’s kind of like Michael [Jackson]’s ‘The Way You Make Me Feel.’
“And I sat down at the Wurlitzer [an electric piano] and we just, like, wrote it.”
It’s not just the music that has set Dean apart.
Early in her career, she resisted being labeled as an R&B artist, while her music spanned genres such as pop, alternative, and folk, as well as throwback soul.
“I’ve sometimes felt quite boxed in, like I have to make ‘urban’ music,” she said, but “I feel like I can do anything.”
Last year, she made headlines again when she demanded and secured refunds for fans who had bought resale tickets for her US tour through Ticketmaster.
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The star wrote an open letter to ticketing companies after some tickets were listed for more than 14 times their original price, with prices soaring above $1,000 (£750). Dean called the practice “disgusting” and “shameless,” after which Ticketmaster announced it would be placing price caps on resale tickets and refunding fans any extra money they had already paid through their service.
Showing she’s not afraid to stand up for her fans, the singer received praise from across the industry – including from Sir Elton John, who interrupted his camping trip to congratulate the star on her award nominations.
Dean's Grammy win comes just weeks after her nominations for this year's Brit Awards, where she received five nominations, including Artist of the Year, alongside Lola Young.
On Sunday, the singer topped the Best New Artist category, beating out influencer-turned-pop star Addison Rae and Alex Warren, as well as girl group Catseye, rock star Somber, and US indie pop band The Marías.
For the second year in a row, all eight nominees performed in a special segment during the opening portion of Sunday night's ceremony – dubbed music's biggest night.
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