Olivia Dean – The Art Of Loving: Album Review

Live4ever 26 September, 2025

Artwork for the Olivia Dean album The Art Of Loving

4.5 stars hq

With sweet vocals and jazzy instrumentation, ‘The Art Of Loving’ showcases what Olivia Dean does best.

Following on from her critically acclaimed debut Messy, Olivia Dean has released her second studio album The Art Of Loving, reflecting on private life and documenting her journey of learning to find self love whilst navigating the topic of dating and relationships.

In the last year, Dean’s career has skyrocketed, from garnering a dedicated online following to performing alongside superstars Sabrina Carpenter and Sam Fender.

townsendmusic banner

Her much anticipated second album doesn’t let her down, and showcases why she has deservedly risen to prominence.

The title-track opens the album to Olivia Dean singing over a soft piano; we learn that she believes in the beauty of love even when things don’t go to plan (‘It wasn’t all for nothing, yeah you taught me something’).

Her pretty vocal and dreamy instrumentation are lullaby-esque, showcasing the whimsy and romance to follow. It’s easy to get wrapped up in the daydream that’s shown to her audience.

She picks up the pace with Nice To Each Other, a soulful track which found popularity on social media as a pre-release single.

Here, perspective is provided on casual dating and the ease of going with the flow; she hopes that she can enjoy her love interest’s company without expectations (she’s been there and done that, without much success). As Dean succinctly puts it: “I’ve done all the classic stuff and it never works.”

Let Alone The One You Love showcases both vocal and lyrical talent (her real yet vulnerable lyrics are reminiscent of her late contemporary Amy Winehouse).

Olivia Dean sings of the hardship of putting your faith in the wrong person; she thought she was secure in this relationship yet found herself let down (‘If you knew me at all, you wouldn’t try to keep me small’). It’s moving and poignant, and will be sure to pull at the heart strings of anyone who’s ever experienced heartbreak.

The Art Of Loving’s highlight comes midway on Man I Need; here, Dean sings about her love interest and her hope of him becoming the person she wants him to be.

Again, we see comment on the complexities of dating, instead this time she’s moved on from heartbreak to meeting someone new.

Man I Need highlights feelings of desire and the excitement of the early stages of dating, encapsulating this universal feeling of having a crush into a groovy, uptempo jazz standout.

Dean excels in writing about the dichotomy of falling in love and the struggles of maintaining a relationship.

Her lyricism is reminiscent of other great female songwriters who have tackled the trials and tribulations of love within their music, such as Lauryn Hill and Carole King. She is able to balance being feminine and delicate with heavy topics such as heartbreak and sadness.

The Art Of Loving showcases what Olivia Dean does best. Her sweet vocals and jazzy instrumentation make for an enjoyable listen, whether that’s dancing to Lady Lady or crying along to Loud.

This album is a must listen for anyone interested in Olivia Dean and has cemented her status as the next IT girl of neo-soul.

Lauren Scott

YouTube video

Tags:Lauren Scott, Olivia Dean