Olivia Dean wins the Grammy for Best New Artist, citing her immigrant heritage and celebrating her hit album “The Art of Loving”.
LOS ANGELES: British singer-songwriter Olivia Dean won the Grammy for Best New Artist on Sunday.
She topped a field that included Alex Warren, girl group Katseye, Addison Rae, The Marias, Sombr, Lola Young and Leon Thomas.
“I’m up here as a granddaughter of an immigrant,” Dean said to cheers.
“I’m a product of bravery, and I think those people deserve to be celebrated.”
The 26-year-old London-born artist has won critics over with her deep pop-soul sound.
Her second studio album “The Art of Loving” was released in September.
Its lead single “Man I Need” reached number one in the UK and Australia and number two on the US Billboard Hot 100.
Other singles “Nice to Each Other” and “Lady Lady” featured nostalgic, jazz-inflected melodies.
Dean was named Billboard’s 2025 Rookie of the Year.
She initially attended a performing arts school for musical theatre before pivoting to songwriting.
Dean taught herself guitar and piano and gained traction by posting covers on YouTube.
After a 2019 EP, she toured in a yellow van during the 2020 pandemic, performing outdoors.
Her debut album “Messy” was released in 2023, followed by her breakthrough Glastonbury Festival performance in 2024.
She later opened for Sabrina Carpenter on tour last year.
Dean cites influences from Lauryn Hill and Amy Winehouse to Aretha Franklin and Carole King.
The Best New Artist Grammy honours an act that achieved a public breakthrough and impacted the musical landscape.
This was Dean’s only nomination this year.
