The Working Wardrobe: Olivia Dean
She’s the British singer who started out in a gospel choir at the age of eight, then – 14 years later – went on to be named Amazon Music’s Breakthrough artist of 2021, before racking up more than one million monthly listeners on Spotify. Here, OLIVIA DEAN talks to GRACE COOK about her love of colorful clothing and why it’s important to dress in a way that always brings you joy
It’s been something of a whirlwind year for Olivia Dean, the 22-year-old London-born singer who was catapulted into the limelight in 2019, when she collaborated with Rudimental on their hit track Adrenaline. After releasing her latest EP, Growth, this summer, she has returned to the stage, was named Amazon Music’s Breakthrough artist of 2021 and racked up more than one million monthly listeners on Spotify. “I called my mum and we had a little weep on the phone when that happened,” says Dean, speaking over Zoom from the bright and airy south-east London apartment she recently moved into. “I don’t get too caught up in numbers, because I don’t think it’s a representation of success – or of you as an artist, necessarily,” she says. “But thinking about a million humans listening to my music every month… it’s crazy.”
Next year, she’ll embark on her first European tour and is “excited” about the release of her debut album and the prospect of taking her music to “cities she’s never been to” and reaching new listeners. But, as an artist who creates songs to be sung live, this tour is especially meaningful to Dean right now – she found the lack of live music during lockdowns difficult, and this return to an intimate, on-stage format feels profound. Most of the tracks she’ll be performing were written during lockdown, when Dean was contending with not just life in isolation, but the Black Lives Matter protests. “It was a really difficult time, but it’s made my lyrics more honest,” she says.
Born to an English father and a Jamaican-Guyanese mother (her maternal grandmother came to the UK from the Caribbean during the Windrush), Dean grew up in Walthamstow, east London. Spending her childhood listening to artists like Steely Dan and Lauryn Hill (her middle name is Lauryn, in homage to the artist), she started singing in a gospel choir at the age of eight and began writing her own lyrics soon after. Later attending one of the UK’s leading performing-arts academies, The Brit School, she “discovered” the music of Paul Simon and Laura Marling in her teens – and this eclectic array of influences has given Dean the confidence to never pigeonhole herself, either in music, style or identity. Here, she shares her career and styling secrets…
“There isn’t much difference between my on-stage and off-stage outfits. On tour, I pack a ton of white tank tops and lots of different trousers – it’s sort of a uniform that allows me to choose what I want to wear on the day
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On practicing self-care
“My first project was about a guy, and my second was about a break-up. My latest project, Growth, is more reflective and captures the nuance of human emotion and the depth of the human experience. It’s me turning the lens inwards to look at myself and iron out my own feelings… I had therapy during lockdown and was trying to confront all this emotion and my identity as a mixed-race person, and it would have been weird for me to come out with some really happy songs – even though, in general, I’m a happy person. Now, more than ever, it’s important to acknowledge the sadness and not distract yourself from it. I try to make more time for myself now – and not look at social media too much, or take it too seriously.”
On switching up her wardrobes
“There isn’t much difference between my on-stage and off-stage outfits these days. On tour, I pack a ton of white tank tops and lots of different trousers – it’s sort of a uniform that allows me to choose what I want to wear on the day. I always build outfits from the trousers, as they are the focal point – and the good thing about a tank top is that it goes with all trouser silhouettes. I accessorize with some multi-strand gold chains, hoop earrings and fun headscarves.”
“I really want to treat myself to a patterned Missoni sweater. Fun knitwear surprisingly goes with everything
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On dressing up
“When I started out in music, I never thought that much about fashion, but I’ve gotten really into it. I recently went to the London Fashion Awards wearing a pale pink mini-skirt suit, and I’ve bought a party dress from Ganni that has ruching down the sides and makes my bum look great. I love how its designs balance masculine and feminine – it matches my own approach to how I vary my outfits. I love the colors Rejina Pyo uses, too, and I really want to treat myself to a patterned Missoni sweater soon. Fun knitwear surprisingly goes with everything.”
“Some days I wear baggy clothes so people can’t see my body, other times I wear things that are really fitted. It’s so important to dress for how you’re feeling and do it in a way that brings you joy
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On pleasing yourself
“Growing up, there was a ‘uniform’ that everyone had to wear… But after I moved away, I stepped out of my comfort zone and discovered how fun clothes can be. It opened a whole new world. Now, I always wear color; I even have multicolored hats and cardigans with the Pink Panther on! Often, I wear head-to-toe green. Some days I wear baggy clothes so people can’t see my body, other times I wear things that are really fitted. It’s so important to dress for how you’re feeling and do it in a way that brings you joy.”