September 26th, 2025, Olivia Dean released her second studio album, “The Art of Loving”, creating a fun, love-struck, and heartbreaking fall season for her 62 million monthly Spotify listeners. Not only did Dean surpass everyone’s expectations with this masterpiece of an album, but it also won the British Album of the Year award at the 2026 Brit Awards and pushed Dean to win the 2026 Grammy for Best New Artist.
With the light and airy vibe of The Art of Loving mixed with the reflective and melancholy tones of heartbreak, Dean is able to create an amazingly well-rounded and basically perfect album. Olivia Dean brings a resurgence of jazzy pop instrumentals met with modern and relatable lyrics. The album contains the perfect blend of upbeat, fun songs, such as “Man I Need” or “Nice to Each Other,” and also melancholy, reflective songs, such as “A Couple Minutes” or “Let Alone the One You Love.”
The Art of Loving details love in all forms: romance, friendship, heartbreak, self-love, and vulnerability. Each song discusses love in a different light, such as new and exciting romances, the feeling of loneliness, being betrayed by someone you trusted, and noticing love being spread all over the world. Through these songs, Dean literally describes the art of loving and how, if you look hard enough, love can be seen everywhere.
There are a few lyrics that relay these messages and really stand out to me. “Love’s never wasted when it’s shared” from Track 11, “A Couple Minutes.” Dean describes such a relatable truth in a very wise way, reassuring the audience that trials and tribulations teach us lessons and give us insight into ourselves. Another lyric that really sticks out to me is “If you knew me at all, you wouldn’t try to keep me small”, from Track 6, “Let Alone The One You Love.” This line is so relatable, it is scream-out-the-car-window worthy. Lastly, from Track 3, “Lady, Lady,” the line “God I used to love this hair, Now there’s something in the air.” Dean relays the idea that change is inevitable and good, and describes it as something that just happens.
Dean’s music speaks to the majority of Gen Z women. We feel inspired and uplifted by her music and stage presence. By bringing back the fun side of performing and the whimsical side of girlhood, Dean has single-handedly created a resurgence of female empowerment and acceptance among women themselves.
Dean’s second studio album has taken over the pop music scene. She performed at the Grammys, is set to be one of the many headliners at Lollapalooza this summer, and is touring around the world in 2026. Dean has created a platform built on fun and exciting music that shows people the real her, revealing her love for so many things. By listening to her, you are able to understand more about yourself, the world around us, and how Dean wants us to see it.
It truly is only up from here, and Dean’s success is only beginning as she becomes a phenomenon around the world. Alongside so many other female artists, such as Olivia Rodrigo, Chappell Roan, and even new artists such as Lola Young, Dean brings a new light and love to the music world. It is a blessing that Dean shares her talent with us and allows us into her world of “The Art of Loving.”
Can’t get enough of HC UMass Amherst? Be sure to follow us on Instagram, listen to us on Spotify, like us on Facebook, and read our latest Tweets!