Olivia Dean is not afraid to disappear. “Did you ever see I May Destroy You ? When Michaela Coel said that she had needed to disappear in order to make the show, that really stuck with me. Because—thank god she did.
” Dean says. The singer is speaking to me from her apartment in London on a Monday morning. Dressed simply, she is a vision of curls cascading down her shoulders, smooth skin, deep brown almond eyes and a blinding smile.
She speaks with natural rhythm, nearly hypnotic with her beautiful deep voice. And yet, despite the superstar qualities bursting out of her, she embodies the candour and comfort of a friend. “What she said made me feel okay with not constantly being in people’s faces.
At the start of my career, I used to worry about whether I was posting enough on social media. But now, I like the idea of stepping back and doing your own thing for a little while, especially while you create the next thing for your audience to enjoy.” Dean’s wisdom shows in her discography.
It is her ability to retreat and self-excavate that allows her to create music that penetrates the heart so fully, even at 25 years old. Tender lyrics that read like poetry capture emotions buried deep; pop-soul melodies infuse beloved retro genres with a glossy, contemporary sound. Dean’s creamy, jazz-tinged voice is the delicious cherry on top.
We are discussing ‘Time’, Dean’s latest record and her first time releasing music in a year. Upon first listen, the track hits lik.