“A barometer is if I wouldn’t say it out loud, then I probably wouldn’t use it as a lyric”: How Olivia Dean’s joyous breakthrough song was crafted

Olivia Dean.

Olivia Dean's rise has felt nothing short of meteoric. The release of her debut album Messy in 2023 was that rarest of things in the current era - an album (remember those?) that became instantly iconic amongst young people.

But Dean's talent-timeline started much earlier than 2023, as she began writing songs at the age of 16 while also busking on the Southbank in London and attending the prestigious BRIT School.