Olivia Dean Caps a Rocket-Ship Year With a Best New Artist Grammy

Olivia Dean took home the prize for best new artist at the Grammy Awards, capping a transformative year for the 26-year-old British singer. She prevailed against a crowded field that included fellow Briton Lola Young as well as Leon Thomas, Addison Rae, Alex Warren and the K-pop–adjacent girl group Katseye.

Her victory was placed alongside past winners such as Amy Winehouse, Adele and Alessia Cara, artists the Grammys have often rewarded for incisive, unguarded soul-pop songs. Accepting the award, Dean said, “I’m up here as a granddaughter of an immigrant. I’m a product of bravery, and I think those people deserve to be celebrated.” Dean has released music since 2019 and drew attention with her 2023 debut album, “Messy,” a polished collection of piano ballads and Motown-inflected grooves.

She reached greater prominence with the follow-up, “The Art of Loving,” which in her home country had the biggest opening week for a British female artist since Adele’s “30,” and its breakout single, “Man I Need,” climbed to No. 2 on the Hot 100.

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