By 
The neo-soul sensation on waking up to NTS Radio, singing ABBA in the karaoke booth and getting inspired by David Bowie.
Olivia Dean’s music is as smooth and rich as the kind of high-end imported butter only found in certain west London delicatessens. It is also extremely popular. The 26-year-old neo-soul singer’s second album, The Art of Loving, topped the charts this month, and Dean achieved the rare feat of having a number one album at the same time as a number one single: “Man I Need”, currently sitting on more than 250 million Spotify streams. She’s the first female British solo artist to do the double since Adele—and, like Adele, Dean’s proving that sumptuous, retro-tinged songs can be as relevant as ever in the 21st century, as long as they’re written and performed with abundant talent.
Not that she’s a nostalgia act—she’s currently in the middle of supporting the impeccably zeitgeisty Sabrina Carpenter’s US tour. Dean told GQ about her favourite songs in all kinds of situations, from first thing in the morning to the karaoke booth.
GQ: What does your day-to-day musical diet look like?
Olivia Dean: I listen to music at all times of the day. If I’m not doing something that means I can’t listen to music, I’m probably listening to music. I open my eyes, put my speaker on my bed and turn on NTS Radio, and then I go about my day. I’ve got headphones; com[ing] home in the evening, I’m listening to vinyl. Even falling asleep I’m listening to classical music. It’s constant.
The best track to have on loop?
A song that came out recently called “One Thing” by a band called Strongboi. Alice Phoebe Lou is in this band and I’m a big fan of hers. This song just makes me feel so happy, and there’s a lyric in it that’s like, “If there’s one thing that I know, I’m the only one who can help myself.” True!
The best track to start the day?
I just made a playlist for myself called “Little Snoopy Vibe” because I love Snoopy, and it’s got a picture of Snoopy, and then all the songs on it are songs that I would imagine Snoopy listening to. And right now, my favourite song on that playlist is “Wonderful” by João Gilberto.
The best track you’ve ever heard live?
This year the best song I’ve heard live was Amyl and the Sniffers doing “U Should Not Be Doing That” at Glastonbury. It was amazing; rocked my world. [Singer Amy Taylor] is an amazing performer, and that song just gives me life.
The best track to play on full volume?
“Push the Button” by the Sugababes. I love the Sugababes. Don’t really know what else needs to be said other than they’re the best, and that song is incredible. [It] apparently came out, what, 20 years ago? We’re blessed.
The best track to dance to?
“Do Yourself a Favour” by Prince. Only heard it a couple months ago on NTS Radio’s [Breakfast Show w/ Flo], and it is just so feel-good—it’s like seven minutes long, and at the end of the song he crunches up a $50 bill into the microphone, and he’s like, “Have you ever heard the sound of that?” I think it’s fabulous.
Image credit: Getty Images
Do you have a special track from your childhood?
“Just Fine” by Mary J. Blige. This song makes me think of my mum and my auntie and my granny in the kitchen, just doing some shoulders to it after a couple glasses of wine!
The best track from the UK?
That’s a crazy question. We offer a really wide range of things, but I think for this playlist I’m curating I’m going to choose an Amy Winehouse song. I think she’s one of the best things to ever come out of this country for music, and one of my favourites is called “Half Time”, from the Lioness: Hidden Treasures album. It [has] beautiful instrumentation and vocals.
Your favourite track that you’ve made?
I’m going to go with a song called “A Couple Minutes” from my new album. I think it’s [a] slightly different style for me, and we sampled this Hot Chocolate song, which I’d never done before in my own music, and I love it. I love the message of it, I love the way it makes me feel, and it just sort of washes over you. So check it out!
What’s the track with your favourite lyric?
My favourite lyric I think I’ve ever heard is probably a Joni Mitchell one from her song “A Case of You”. It’s quite long, but I’m going to say it anyway: “You said, ‘Love is touching souls’, surely you’ve touched mine, cause part of you pours out of me in these lines from time to time.”
Your go-to karaoke track?
Until recently, my go-to karaoke track was “I Will Survive”, Gloria Gaynor. I’ve been running that one for a few years now. I thought it was time to switch it up. So now, because I recently really got back into ABBA, it’s “Chiquitita”. No words needed.
What track are you currently obsessed with?
I was on Instagram the other day and I came across a video of Barbra Streisand singing in a park, in this gorgeous red dress, a song of hers called “People”. And it made me cry. I just was crying looking at my phone. That song is amazing, and it’s just about people needing people. That’s my new obsession.
Is there a track you think is underrated?
Really into Stevie Wonder at the moment—well, always have been—but more recently I found a song of his called “Power Flower”, from an album he made for a film about plants. And so the songs and the album are all inspired and made for plants. It’s really cool. Do check it out.
Is there a track that inspires you?
I would say my most recent real, visceral example of inspiration after hearing something was this David Bowie track called “Win”. I hadn’t heard a piece of music like it before. I was like, “Wow, this is really new to me,” and it inspired me to make a song called “Time” that I put out before this album. It’s just an amazing piece of music.