Olivia Dean’s two singles, ‘The Man I Need’ and ‘Nice to Each Other’ left many people on their toes in anticipation of the recent album release after they became extremely popular on TikTok this summer. This opened a whole new world of fans for the rising star, and many resonated with the lyrics of the two hits, and now the entire album.
Dean brings a new twist to music about love and heartbreak, with her vibrant and soulful sound, which may be a reason for the immediate internet craze for her new album.
Dean’s album makes something very clear: Love is complicated, love has twists and turns and love is something that finds you even when you’re not looking for it. “The Art of Loving” takes its listeners on a journey through love, heartbreak and finding oneself again. The work is filled with layered strings and bossa nova-inspired sounds.
It begins with the title track and prelude that starts the album off on a soulful, almost ethereal note. The song’s repeating mantra of “It’s the art of loving” feels like she is reminding herself that all the peaks and valleys of love are all a part of some bigger, beautiful force in life. From there, the work continues down a winding voyage through her ever-wavering feelings of love.
Dean covers a range of emotions and perceptions of love in each song, and she still manages to emphasize the good she sees in it all. In her track entitled “Lady Lady,” she uses the metaphor of moving houses to depict her initial discomfort with change, and then her slow acceptance that there is purpose and value in the process.
In the beginning, she sings, “God, I’m gonna miss this house.” However, she later speaks of a “master plan” and the song culminates in an upbeat, inspiring bridge where she sings of growth and perseverance. This house motif is utilized again later in the album when she sings, “Cause this house gon’ love itself” in “Baby Steps,” a song about learning how to be alone again after a relationship.
Dean is also able to portray the hurt and volatility that love can bring into your life, which really completes the album. “Let Alone the one you Love” is gut-wrenching: the vocals and slowed instruments immediately bring chills to the listener. Dean explores a relationship that not only ended in heartbreak but also made her feel like she had to shrink to help her significant other grow, a feeling relatable to many. The lyrics encapsulate the feeling of being “too much to handle.”
The song “Loud” similarly retraces the memories of a relationship that wasn’t right for either person involved. She beautifully explains that in her past relationship, they only wanted her for what she gave them, not for who she truly was. She goes on to sing that she would rather be alone than be with someone who makes you feel alone. Especially in these two songs, you can hear the rich emotion and pain that she went through in these relationships, which makes it even more relatable and familiar for the listener.
The album ends with “I’ve seen it,” a track with little production and that is stripped of much background noise. In the piece, she recounts all the times she has witnessed the aforementioned “Art of loving” around her, whether it be platonic, between strangers, a fairytale or at its messiest for lovers. The song feels like a voice note straight from Dean, which perfectly rounds out the meaning and intention of her album.
“The Art of Loving” is a masterpiece consisting of various perspectives and alternating realities of the same titular topic. Her rise to fame was due to her uniquely soulful voice and resonating impression her music has had on people everywhere. Dean has made her mark on the global pop music scene and will, hopefully, continue to explore relatable themes through new and exciting sounds.