Who is the British singer who defeated the 'earthquake' named Taylor Swift?

Young British singer Olivia Dean is currently becoming a new music phenomenon, when her song Man I need surpassed many hits of Taylor Swift to reach the number 1 position on the Spotify UK chart.

Olivia Dean is currently a young singer gaining attention in the UK - Photo: Island Records

On October 22, Olivia Dean's song Man I need unexpectedly dominated the Spotify UK chart, marking the first time the female singer reached number 1 in her career.

This achievement helps Olivia Dean surpass many big names, including Taylor Swift - who has been dominating this platform for many weeks with the album The life of a showgirl.

The singer knows how to listen to herself

Olivia Dean was born in 1999 in East London and is one of the young voices gaining attention in British soul-pop music.

Before becoming a professional singer, Olivia Dean had many different jobs to make ends meet, such as working in a hair salon and a bar. Those experiences helped her gain a closer and more genuine perspective on people.

Olivia Dean graduated from Brit School, the arts school that has educated the likes of Adele, Amy Winehouse and Jessie J. It was here that she began writing and performing her own songs.

Olivia Dean graduated from the art school that trained Adele - Photo: NPR

Looking back on her years at Brit School, she recalls: "There, I met my band, my best friends and people who shared my passion. I learned to believe in myself and not be ashamed of my love of music ."

Olivia Dean's career started quietly with self-released songs like The Hardest Part, Reason to Stay or OK Love You Bye . In 2023, she released her debut album Messy .

Although it did not achieve outstanding commercial success, Messy was considered by experts to be a solid start, clearly showing an emotional musical personality and a distinctive soul-pop voice.

Olivia Dean's career took off when she received three nominations at the prestigious Brit Awards - Photo: NBC

2024 marked a turning point in Olivia Dean's career. The singer received three nominations at the Brit Awards, including New Artist of the Year, Best Pop Artist and British Artist of the Year. Previously, her album Messy was also nominated for the prestigious Mercury Prize.

Olivia Dean's attention goes beyond her music. British media once reported that she had a close relationship with Harry Styles, after the two were spotted at a music festival. Recently, she was photographed holding hands with drummer Eddie Burns at Wimbledon. When asked about her love life, Dean simply said: "I'm not going to comment."

Olivia Dean uses music to illuminate love

According to Glamour , Olivia Dean's music is modern but not trendy. Although she sings about half-hearted, ambiguous relationships, the singer still makes listeners feel familiar as if those stories could happen in any era.

Her voice is rich in emotion, a blend of pop, neo-soul, R&B, influenced by legends such as Joni Mitchell, Carole King, Aretha Franklin or Whitney Houston. Many audiences compare her to a cross between Norah Jones and Amy Winehouse, but perhaps her closest role model is still Adele - her sister who studied at Brit School.

Olivia Dean's music is bright without being superficial, sincere without being cheesy - Photo: Island Records

In August 2025, Olivia Dean released the song Man I need . The song quickly became an internet phenomenon, helping her debut on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and reaching number 12 in early October, a remarkable achievement at a time when Taylor Swift was still dominating with The life of a showgirl .

Experts did not hesitate to praise Man I need . John Mayer once said on Sirius XM that if Man I need had been released earlier, it would have become "the song of the summer".

Rolling Stone described the song as "catchy", while NPR called her songwriting style "playful and charming".

Riding on the success, just one month later Olivia Dean released the album The Art of Loving with 12 songs composed by herself. The album reached Top 10 Billboard 200, Top 7 Billboard Album Sales and Top 8 Billboard Streaming Albums after only two weeks of release.

In the UK, the album entered the Top 10 of the Official Charts, while the title track Man I need quickly rose to high positions in many Asian markets.

Later this year, Olivia Dean will open for Sabrina Carpenter on her Short n' Sweet tour - Photo: Island Records

Olivia Dean told Spotify that she wants people to listen to the album with headphones, at least for the first time: "I hope listeners will feel the message of learning to care more about the people around them and seeing love as an art, a practice."

Despite the acclaim, the singer maintains a humble approach. In a recent interview with Billboard, she said: "I'm not thinking too far ahead about the Grammys. I just want people who listen to my music to feel more loved and listened to."

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/giong-ca-anh-danh-bai-con-dia-chan-mang-ten-taylor-swift-la-ai-20251023161121629.htm