Olivia Dean is one of the UK’s most promising rising stars (Picture: Richard Isaac/REX/Shutterstock)
It’s a big weekend for Olivia Dean, who has not only released her brand new single, Time, but she’s also set to take Glastonbury’s Pyramid stage this weekend.
So, who is she? And what do you need to know as she stuns thousands of festivalgoers at 1.15pm on Friday?
From humble beginnings to overcoming stage fright, the North London star, 25, has a story just as intriguing as her ballads.
Whether Olivia is new to your playlist or a longstanding favourite, she’s no stranger to the music industry and, in her almost decade-long career, has sold out a European tour, collaborated with one the UK’s most recognisable drum and bass bands, Rudimental and become a Chanel ambassador.
But like any artist, it all started somewhere, and for Olivia, that was as a young child in primary school. The musician, raised in Walthamstow by her English father and Jamaican-Guyanese mother, starred in her school play, Annie, as a young girl. While she enjoyed musical theatre and drama, she didn’t enjoy the nerves that came with it.
In a past interview, she revealed that as she took to the stage to perform the song Tomorrow, she was ‘so nervous’, that she had to turn her back to the audience and compose herself.
‘The pianist was just like, “Turn around, you can do this”. So I spun around and faced everyone, singing Tomorrow with tears streaming down my face. But it must have worked because I took second place,’ she told BBC earlier this year.
The singer made her Coachella debut earlier this year (Picture: Daniel DeSlover/ZUMA Press Wire/REX/Shutterstock)
It was a moment that proved she could overcome her fears and provoked Olivia to pursue a life in the spotlight. Her determination paid off, and at the tender age of 15, she earned a spot at the Brit School, where she studied theatre.
However, she soon realised she didn’t love the stage in the same way her peers did and quickly leaned into her love for music. Teaching herself guitar and piano, her natural talent landed Olivia a manager – Emily Braham.
Even if it took a bit to get there, ‘she couldn’t get my email address because you weren’t allowed to message minors,” Olivia told BBC.
Once the two were in contact, Emily (who still manages Olivia today) secured an audition for the young artist with the popular drum and bass band Rudimental. It was effectively the start of her career and set the tone for what was to come.
After collaborating on the song Adrenaline in 2019, the then-17-year-old was invited to join the band at their Sziget set. It was her first show and saw her perform in front of upwards of 17,000 people.
In an interview last year, Olivia spoke about the experience, claiming it was ‘invaluable’ and made her realise she isn’t very good at being a back-up singer, ‘There were times where …read more
Source:: Metro
