British singer Olivia Dean wins Best New Artist Grammy

Weather - Venezia 9°C

British singer Olivia Dean wins Best New Artist Grammy

CULTURE 02.02.2026

British singer Olivia Dean wins Best New Artist Grammy / Photo: VALERIE MACON - AFP

British singer-songwriter Olivia Dean -- who topped charts at home and abroad with her monster hit "Man I Need" -- on Sunday won the Grammy for Best New Artist.

Change text size:

She bested a crowded field that included "Ordinary" singer Alex Warren, girl group Katseye, TikTok dancer-turned-singer Addison Rae, The Marias, sombr, Lola Young and Leon Thomas.

"I'm up here as a granddaughter of an immigrant," Dean -- who was born in London to an English father and a Jamaican-Guyanese mother -- said to cheers.

"I'm a product of bravery, and I think those people deserve to be celebrated."

The 26-year-old Dean, who has won over critics with her deep pop-soul sound, turned heads in September with the release of her second studio album "The Art of Loving."

Its top single "Man I Need" shot to number one in the UK, Australia and elsewhere. It reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States.

The album's other singles "Nice to Each Other" and "Lady Lady" struck a nostalgic chord with jazz-inflected melodies.

She was named Billboard's 2025 Rookie of the Year.

Dean's middle name is Lauryn -- for rap icon and Fugees lead singer Lauryn Hill.

She initially went to a performing arts secondary school for musical theater, but ultimately pivoted to songwriting, teaching herself how to play the guitar and piano.

Dean initially gained traction by posting covers on YouTube and gaining fans with her retro vocals via streaming platforms.

After releasing an EP in 2019, she hit the road in the peak pandemic days of summer 2020 in a yellow van, singing outside for whoever would listen.

Two more EPs followed before her debut full-length album in 2023, "Messy."

Dean's momentum grew, performing at the legendary Glastonbury Festival in 2024.

On the strength of "The Art of Loving," she opened for Sabrina Carpenter during her tour late last year.

Dean cites a wide range of influences, from Hill and Amy Winehouse to Aretha Franklin and Carole King.

The Best New Artist Grammy honors the person or group who "achieved a breakthrough into the public consciousness and notably impacted the musical landscape."

This was Dean's only nomination this year.

N.Tartaglione--PV

Featured

Jersey Boys Anniversary Tour Opens in Birmingham With Gritty Account of Crime and Fame

The 20th-anniversary tour of Jersey Boys has opened at Birmingham’s Alexandra Theatre, offering a gritty and unvarnished look at the Four Seasons’ journey. The production details the band's turbulent rise from New Jersey petty criminals to international rock stars, highlighting the complex personal costs behind their musical success.

UBC professor describes police call after Galloway remark as act of care

VANCOUVER — A University of British Columbia professor has testified about a colleague’s decision to call police to visit Steven Galloway after he was accused of sexual assault, describing it as an “act of care” toward the author, who had spoken of killing himself. Galloway, who is suing his accuser and others in a defamation trial centred on the unproven allegations, has described his subsequent committal to a hospital in the United States as “terrifying.

The Cat in the Hat expands its stakes to cosmic scale in animated reboot

The folks behind the new animated “The Cat in the Hat” are pretty confident they’ve got the cat in the bag. It hasn’t even opened yet and there are onscreen references to possible movie spinoffs for the jet-powered magical couch and The Things.

Lettermen co-founder Tony Butala dies at 87

NEW YORK (AP) — Tony Butala, co-founder of the Grammy-nominated trio The Lettermen, whose lush vocal harmonies made them one of the most popular vocal groups of the 1960s, died Sunday. He was 87.

Change text size:

Pallade Veneta - British singer Olivia Dean wins Best New Artist Grammy