There are artists you listen to, and there are artists who seem to crack your ribcage open, raising a mirror to the feelings you barely knew had names. Olivia Dean is that artist for me.
I’m deep in my Olivia Dean era, swept up in her melodies, her honesty, and the kind of lyricism that feels like an emotional lifeline on days when words don’t do me justice.
But my Olivia Dean era didn’t start with a lyric or a lucky playlist shuffle. It started with a tug right in the center of my chest, a small ache, a question: is this love? Her music became the soundtrack for figuring out what love is, how it morphs and sometimes splinters, and how, along the way, I might finally learn to love myself.
It began the day I stopped romanticizing chaos and started seeing poetry in stability. When Olivia sang, “’Cause I don’t want a boyfriend, I’ll be my own pair of safe hands,” I understood love is about trusting myself, holding myself; not waiting around to be completed by someone else. This era is about self-security: a new absolute.
Take “So Easy [To Fall in Love].“ Olivia captures that dizzy head-rush when a connection feels light and effortless, like you’re floating, not falling. The song isn’t about clutching on for dear life, It’s regarding the thrill when a love story feels possible. Not forced, not complete yet, and everything is easy before it gets heavy. It reminded me that not every love needs to ache to be real.
And then there’s “Something Inbetween.” When she sings, “It’s too much to belong to anyone, I’m too scared to be changed,” it’s as if she’s pulling thoughts straight from my subconscious mind. It’s not about running from love, t’s about that quiet fear of losing the version of myself—the version I worked hard to build, brick by brick. I recognize that fear and I live with it. Olivia’s honesty gives me permission to let it sit beside me, instead of shoving it into a dark corner.
Olivia Dean’s The Art of Loving is more than an album. It’s a guidebook for messy, modern, intimacy and radical self-companionship. Critics call it a reflection on how we love, why we love, and how we have to plant those seeds in ourselves before we can share our leaves with someone else.
This era is all about intention, not loving for validation, but for clarity. I ask: is this kind? Is this one-sided? Can we just be nice to each other, with no pressure or no possession? There’s something freeing about letting relationships breathe, refusing to cram them into boxes labeled ‘boyfriend‘ or ‘forever.’ It’s a rebellion against performative romance, and truly, it feels like relief.
And then there’s the aesthetic of it all My Olivia Dean era looks like sunlight streaming through my windows, glistening golden jewelry, soft curls, vintage blazers, and lived-in layers. It’s romantic, but it’s not screaming for attention. Not trend-chasing, just timeless. I want my life to look like someone who feels at home in her own skin; music travelling through a sparkly sunlit apartment, journaling, or meandering with headphones on. Outfits that express my mood, my essence, to ultimately bringing me joy for no one else but myself.
This era is a slow one: patient. Reflective. Unhurried. I don’t scramble to define everything. I don’t accept being chosen for the sake of belonging. I’m learning that love is art, not a finish line to cross. It’s something you layer, practice, and sometimes mess up, but always return to with more clarity.
Being in my Olivia Dean era means becoming someone who loves with understanding. Someone who can walk away and still feel whole. Someone who knows partnership should add to her life, not become the foundation beneath her feet.
And that’s the message I want to leave you with:
You are allowed to be your own safe hands first.
You are allowed to move slowly.
You are allowed to fear change and still grow.
You are allowed to receive love in a method that feels healthy, gentle, and real.
If being in your Olivia Dean era means anything, let it tangibly be this: love should feel like warmth, not survival. It should feel like art, not obligation. Before you give your heart away, learn to hold it gently, fiercely, and yourself. So give Olivia a listen and let her lyrics flow over you like ocean waves.
Soak in the feelings that the music might uncover, allow the music to loosen what’s tense inside, and breathe for a while.