Olivia Dean ProfileOlivia Dean has been crowned Apple Music’s Artist of the Year, marking her breakout year as she took a massive leap to superstardom. She’s the first artist from the UK to receive the honour from Apple Music.
In September 2025, Dean unveiled her second album, The Art of Loving, which broke through in a major way this year. Her hit single, Man I Need, topped the triple j Hottest 100 of 2025 and has charted on Apple Music’s Daily Top 100 every day since late August 2025.
The album debuted at #1 in Australia, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, where Dean became the first British solo female artist to top the albums and singles charts simultaneously since 2021.
In addition to making waves for fans and on the charts, Dean took home the prestigious Grammy Award for Best New Artist this year, and she’s amassed four BRIT Awards. She’s also shared a hit with Sam Fender, featuring on the re-released version of his song, Rein Me In.
Olivia Dean returned to Australia last month for a massive arena tour.
Reviewing the first of two nights at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena, The Music’s Monique La Terra said of Dean’s show:
Drawing from the musical vocabulary of soul, jazz and bossa nova, Dean was never beholden to any one genre, instead moving between them with an ease that has become central to her appeal.
That fluidity suits The Art of Loving, an album that unfolds as something of a dissertation on love in all its forms: fleeting, devastating, euphoric and everything in between. Rooted in the conversational intelligence of her lyrics, Dean’s performance often arrived with deceptively upbeat, effervescent melodies disguising the ache underneath.
Commenting on being named Apple Music’s Artist of the Year, Dean said, “I love making music. It’s the best thing in the world. I think being Apple’s Artist of the Year feels really amazing. To be recognised as an artist that’s made an impact is really cool.”
Rachel Newman, the Co-Head of Apple Music, added, “What sets Olivia apart is that she speaks from the heart, every time. Her songs make you want to call a friend, dance in your kitchen, and tell someone you love them. She is open and genuine in everything she shares, and that connection is what turned a great year into a defining one.”
To mark Apple Music’s Artist of the Year title, Dean will receive a physical award from the streaming platform.
