Here we are back again, for another issue of Connected and another Mixtape article! This time I’d like to talk to you a little about my current favourite artist, Olivia Dean. She’s been a growing star in her (and my) home country, England, for a few years now and is just starting to make waves internationally. So what better time to talk you through her second studio album, ‘The Art of Loving’?
The album in general is a masterclass in, well, class! Olivia writes nostalgic and seductively simple songs that give you the feeling of craving for times gone by. In an industry so often dominated by heavy production and vocal showboating, Olivia Dean’s music stands out as gently yet confidently giving you just what you need, no more, no less.
Songs for the time capsule
But what about Olivia? What does she need? A man, apparently!
Tell me you got something to give, I want it
I kinda like it when you call me wonderful
Whatever the kind of talk it is, come on then
I gotta know you’re meant to be the man I need
The lyrics finely tune into that feeling at the beginning of a relationship where you’re equally enticed and frustrated by the mystery of it all; knowing exactly how you feel but not what they’re thinking and almost wanting to scream for clarity. But while the lyrics do such a great job of expressing that feeling of an unscratched itch, the music gives us exactly what we need. Lines seamlessly flow into one another, and the beat practically forces our hips to sway. With this combination of evocative lyrics and infectious music, it’s no surprise ‘Man I Need’ has been such a hit in the charts, spending a string of weeks at number 2 in the UK, topped only by the Golden HUNTR/X girls.
This song is like a warm hug after a rainy day. It expresses its simple message of ‘let’s be nice to each other’ with a somehow soft insistence; not a demand but equally not a request - something inbetween. Olivia earnestly suggests that even on the hardest days, we’re always able to simply be nice to each other.
We could be nice to each other, nice to each other
Wrong for each other, right for each other
And rise to each other, rise to each other
It’s a message we also eagerly promote in our community! Kindness is a choice - one we should always strive to make.
Olivia shares a similar message in ‘Something Inbetween’ - just because it’s not perfect doesn’t mean we can’t have anything! She describes feeling doubtful about the future of a relationship…
They say the grass is greener where you water it
But I, I don't know if I can grow here
…but that doesn’t necessarily mean she’s ready to let the garden die!
I'm not your all or nothing
I'm more, can we still be something in between?
It’s interestingly a message Olivia Dean has come back to several times throughout her career, most famously in her song ‘It Isn’t Perfect But It Might Be’ which gained attention as the title song of this year’s Bridget Jones Film - Mad About the Boy.
Olivia understands, bluntly, that in the world of love things are very rarely perfect. Humans are messy beings with messy emotions and histories, but happiness is there patiently waiting in the imperfections. A little bit of patience and acceptance goes a long way; this, according to Olivia Dean, appears to be the secret behind the art of loving!
If you haven’t already had the pleasure of diving into this emerging star, I implore you to take this as your cue! Get yourself a warm cup of tea, some comfy fluffy cushions, and get ready for a lesson in the art of loving!
