Get ready to hear Olivia Dean’s name everywhere — the British singer-songwriter is quickly becoming one of the most exciting new voices in music. With breakthrough hits like “Man I Need” and “Boyfriend”, plus a rumored fling with Harry Styles, Olivia is making headlines and capturing hearts while she’s at it. Keep reading to learn more about her:
Where She’s From
Born on March 14, 1999, Olivia Lauryn Dean is 26 years old and a Pisces. She was raised in London by an English father and a Jamaican-Guyanese mother. Fun fact: her middle name, Lauryn, pays homage to Lauryn Hill, whose music inspired her parents and ultimately influenced Olivia’s own musical journey.
At age 15, she was accepted to the prestigious BRIT School, making a three-hour round trip daily. Initially studying theatre, she later switched to songwriting and persuaded her mother to buy her a second-hand piano — a move that would set her on the path to a music career.
Is Harry Styles Single? The Singer Was Spotted With Olivia Dean
How She Got Her Start
Olivia began writing songs at 16, teaching herself both guitar and piano. Her graduation performance caught the attention of Emily Braham, who became her manager, and the rest is history.
“I’ve always just made music that I hopefully would want to listen to. It’s really as simple as that,” Dean told Elle in September 2025. “I love soul music. I love jazz. I love bossa nova. I am listening to it all the time. I’m not like, ‘I’m going to make this jazzy, soul music because that will be cool.’ I just like it.”
Her parents’ eclectic taste in music — Lauryn Hill, Angie Stone, Jill Scott, reggae, and singer-songwriters like Carole King — heavily influenced Olivia’s style. Attending the BRIT School, alma mater of Adele and Amy Winehouse, further shaped her musical identity.
Olivia’s debut album, Messy, released two years ago, marked the start of her rise. She was shortlisted for the Mercury Prize and nominated for BRIT Awards. Her second album, The Art of Loving, released on September 26, 2025, shows Olivia diving even deeper into her craft with bigger sounds and a confident new artistic vision. Singles like “Nice to Each Other”, “Lady Lady”, and “Man I Need” — the latter reaching No. 9 on the Billboard Global 200 — are cementing her status as one of the UK’s most promising talents.
Who’s She Dating?
Fans speculated about a romance with Harry Styles after sightings at a London burger restaurant and the Kalorama Festival in Madrid in late 2024. As of October 2025, Olivia is reportedly dating her drummer boyfriend, Eddie Burns.
