★★★★☆
British singer-songwriter Olivia Dean captured the world’s attention earlier this year at London Stadium with a surprise duet on Sam Fender’s “Rein Me In.” Ever since that viral moment in June, fans across the globe have waited patiently to hear more from the 26-year-old.
The Art of Loving answered that anticipation. With vocals reminiscent of early Adele and charming, almost intuitive melodies, Dean creates an inviting sonic atmosphere that is a genuine, heartfelt reflection on the meaning of love.
Dean opens the album with the titular track, “The Art of Loving (Intro).” In the song, she lays down the thematic foundation for the rest of the album: navigating love and the self-realization that accompanies it. Over a melancholic piano, she croons about looking on the bright side of an objectively difficult heartbreak.
“It’s the art of loving / It wasn’t all for nothing, yeah, you taught me something,” Dean sings.
Dean’s inspiration for the album was an exhibition by artist Mickalene Thomas titled All About Love. The exhibition prompted Dean to reflect on some of the commonly accepted perceptions of love.
Dean discussed Thomas’ work in an interview with Women’s Wear Daily, saying, “Why don’t we look at love in that same way and treat it as a real skill that you have to hone not just for yourself, but for the benefit of others in your life?”
Throughout the rest of the album, the 26-year-old singer-songwriter explores the various ways she practices love. Speaking openly about a myriad of relationships, Dean demonstrates significant self-awareness and honesty by acknowledging her faults. On “Something Inbetween,” she speaks directly to her partner, discussing her own struggle with vulnerability and reluctance to commit.
“I’m not your all-or-nothing / I’m more, can we still be something in between?” Dean sings.
Dean reveals that there are prior relationships—ones in which she was too quick to commit—that led her to put her guard up. In honest heartbreak ballads, she sings of her frustrations toward the partners that have disappointed her and how she copes with the grief of it all.
“Loud” paints a picture of Dean hunched over her piano, releasing her emotion musically in typical singer-songwriter fashion.
“You weren’t allowed / To come around and throw my heart about / To turn me on just to turn me down / And everything’s unspoken now / I’m out, the silence is so loud,” she sings.
“Loud” and the album’s other breakup anthems—though beautiful and raw—pale in comparison to the album’s standout heartache tune, “Let Alone The One You Love.” By pairing tear-jerking lyrics with a delicate, soulful melody, Dean musically illustrates the album’s overarching theme: finding peace in the pain. Over a soft drum-kit and wistful trumpets, she asks a question familiar to many a heartbroken listener.
“If you knew me at all, you wouldn’t try to keep me small / Who would do that to a friend, let alone the one you love?” Dean sings.
“Baby Steps” discusses how Dean picks herself back up after these heartbreaks and finds self-love again. Though the message is sweet, the strained metaphors and full minute of scatting make the track feel lazy—like Dean scrambled at the last minute for an easy additive track.
She mends this singular misgiving on the album’s closing track, “I’ve Seen It,” which serves as a final, bittersweet reflection on all the lessons she has learned from love and loss. Through all the ups and downs, Dean finds closure. She concludes by suggesting that love isn’t something we are supposed to understand fully, or a skill we are expected to perfect, but rather a gift that we should relish at every opportunity.
“The more you look, the more you find / It’s all around you all the time / Catches your eye, you blink and then it’s gone,” Dean sings.
While The Art of Loving reads like a standard breakup album, it is far from the typical, mournful heartbreak record. The themes of love and heartbreak have penetrated pop music for years, and often feel predictable or cliche—with Dean, yearning sounds different.
Utilizing her neosoul, R&B skillset, she manages to frame solemn conversations in an incredibly charming light. The projects’ singles, “Nice To Each Other” and “Man I Need,” are perhaps the most prominent examples of her unique knack for creating flawless, easy-listening pop-soul.
While her lyricism is more relatable than poetically groundbreaking, her musicality—the soulful piano, tranquil brass, skillful use of walk-downs and minor chord placements, and, of course, her exceptional vocals—brings a refreshing vitality the pop industry has been desperately missing.
