More about: Olivia Dean

Olivia Dean is in her element. In the early throes of her debut album release, the North London singer-songwriter appears the well-seasoned concertina at her Somerset House headline show. 

Setting the tone for the evening, Dean begins by launching into a jazzy rendition of ‘Echo’, one of her early singles. Wearing a sublime chiffon Molly Goddard dress in a shade of orchid, she dances around on stage, twirling the dress’ tiered skirt during instrumentals, throwing back her head and visibly lapping up every moment. 

“I’m very, very excited to be here”, Dean gushes. “This time last year I was watching my friend play Somerset House and now I’m here playing for you!”

“All I ask is that you have fun”, she tells the crowd, gracefully serving up versions of songs both old and new (exactly what you want from a headline show). Dean nimbly switches between album track ‘Danger’, and ‘Cross My Mind’ from her 2021 EP, Growth. 

Accompanied by a full suite band of two backing singers, a trumpet, saxophone, drums and electric guitar, Dean’s velvety vocals coat each song like honey throughout the hour and a half set. 

The stage’s set design is relatively simple; the band is backed by a silvery curtain, a beatific spotlight looms over Dean’s head throughout the performance, bathing her in shades of magenta, royal blue and peach. 

Besides the obvious draw of her voice, what sets Dean’s show apart from those of her peers, is her amiable riffing with the crowd in between songs. “All righty, warming up now!” she chuckles at one point, shouting “Love you too!” back to an audience member at another. That is to say, it felt like a rather intimate performance, despite the neoclassical Somerset House holding up to to 3,000 in its courtyard (Dean’s gig was sold out). 

Ahead each number, Dean shares some creative insights and inspirations, bringing us into unseen corners of her mind. “I don’t believe in the idea of the other half. You’re a whole person”, she affirms before performing ‘Be My Own Boyfriend’ - a sentiment that is met with whoops and clicks from the crowd. Elsewhere, on album track ‘Dangerously Easy’, Dean talks about how the deceptions of social media can lead us to have preconceived notions about the lives of others. 

The tempo is taken down a notch in the second half of Dean’s set, with lamenting ballad ‘What Am I Gonna Do On Sundays?’ and a moody-toned ‘Messy’; the latter of which does not seem to resonate with the audience.  

Dean soon redeems herself with an acoustic cover of album opener, ‘UFO’. Alone on stage with a guitar, her slightly stumbled start to the romantic song would have been otherwise unnoticeable had she not pointed it out.  

A piano replaces the acoustic guitar for a spellbinding performance of ‘Everybody’s Crazy’, on which Dean’s vocals are at their most angelic. 

We’re also treated to other album tracks, including ‘Slowly’ - which Dean claims is her “Favourite thing I’ve ever written” - and ‘I Could Be A Florist’. Towards the end of the evening, Dean kicks it back up a gear for fan favourite sing-a-long song,‘Ok, Love You, Bye’, and a jazzed-up version of ‘Ladies Room’.

The big surprise of the evening is a cover of Kelis’ ‘Millionaire’. Of course, Dean her own soul-pop twist to the popular noughties track (which judging by some of the fresher faces in the crowd, not everyone knew, but still grooved to).

At one point, Dean tears up introducing ‘Reason To Stay’ - the first song she ever released - as she ruminates on the full-circle moment of now having a long-awaited debut album and headline tour. 

"Undoubtedly, this is Olivia Dean’s moment."

Emotions continue to run high when Dean explains the story behind album track ‘Carmen’. A “love letter” to Dean’s grandmother “and the whole of the Windrush generation”, the passion in Dean’s voice is unmistakable as she sings. Two steel drum players join her on stage, giving a brighter feel to the comparatively pared-back recorded version of the song.  

It’s almost the end of the night, but Dean is yet to play two of her most popular songs. Of course, the best has been saved for last, and everyone sang together on ‘The Hardest Part’, a reflective song about growing out of a love that had fit her before, and ‘Dive’ (my personal favourite), which Dean describes as a “Good old fashioned love song about loving someone and letting yourself be loved back”.

There’s something quite magical about experiencing an artist teetering on the precipice of greatness. Undoubtedly, this is Olivia Dean’s moment. 

See the view from the pit, captured by James Kelly:

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More about: Olivia Dean