Album Review: The Art Of Loving by Olivia Dean
- Mia Cauchi
- Apr 10
- 6 min read
by Mia Cauchi
Genre: Pop/R&B
Olivia Dean released her sophomore album, The Art of Loving, on September 26, 2025, just two years after her debut album, Messy. The Art of Loving is the record that really put Olivia Dean on the map, with songs such as "Nice To Each Other” and “Man I Need” that you have probably heard on the radio hundreds of times. Since the album’s release nearly six months ago, it has hit one billion streams, won Album of the Year at the BRIT Awards, and won Olivia Dean the title of “Best New Artist at the Grammy Awards.” But what about this album has made it hit these milestones so quick, especially for such a relatively new artist? It has something that the music industry hasn’t seen in years. Some artists these days look for technical, overproduced sounds, where The Art of Loving has simpler sounds that still make the music feel incredibly rich. “The Art of Loving (Intro)” is an opening statement to this album, establishing the sound and theme in only forty seconds with just her vocals, a couple of notes on the piano, and powerful strings. This theme spreads across the entirety of the album with a deep and smooth bass, brushed snares, and soft synths that are soulful and very R&B influenced; her vocals are often described as warm and intimate. "It's the art of loving // It wasn’t all for nothing, yeah, you taught me something." This lyric resonated with me the most, even though it appears so early on. In my opinion, it suggests that despite the current heartbreak, you will eventually feel grateful for the lesson it provided, which I believe is such a huge message of this album. “So Easy (To Fall In Love)” is the fifth track of the album and what I can best describe as light, love, and confidence in a song. All I want to do is get up and dance while telling someone I can make their life a world of sunshine. This song is bright and whimsical, with those trumpets in the back that add such a warm feel. It’s about being flirtatious and knowing you have confidence. You know you are lovable, and that energy is infectious. It captures that specific moment of a new crush where everything feels light, effortless, and full of possibility.
The lines “I’m the perfect mix of Saturday night// and the rest of your life// Anyone with a heart would agree” say how she can not only be a fun person to go out with but also someone for the long run, and those heartless people won’t get to see how amazing she is. This is something I know we can allunderstand. We believe we can be so perfect for someone, but if they don’t see that, don’t waste your time. They are only going to regret missing out on an amazing person like you. “A Couple Minutes” is the second-to-last song on that album and is one of the slower tracks. It is one I can listen to a hundred times without ever getting sick of it. The song opens with strings that immediately draw you in, as if you know this one is going to be a heartbreaker. “A Couple Minutes” is a song where Dean reunites with someone she once had a relationship or friendship that is no longer there, and sees them again after a while. Dean discusses the change in a person you thought you knew completely, the lingering connection that is still there even after everything has changed, and a quiet acceptance that some relationships are meant to end even when the feelings do not. We all have that one ex or ex-friend who, despite the fallout, we stillcare about. There is one specific line in this song: "Love's never wasted when it’s shared.”This line, I believe, calls back to the same theme as “The Art of Loving (Intro)” that each relationship we have isn’t always a waste but an opportunity to grow, especially when you loved someone, and they loved you just as much. “Let Alone The One You Love,” my personal favorite, is the sixth track of the album. It explores the pain of being hurt by those who are meant to care for you the most. Whether the hurt comes from a partner, a friend, or a family member, the song prompts the question: how could someone who claims to love you make you feel small? The song starts with one of my favorite and relatable lines of the whole album: “Thought I was done with this feeling//I really thought you could be him// Thought I was safe.” Woah, Ms. Dean, no reason to reach into my soul there. I don’t even feel like I need to elaborate on the meaning of those lyrics. As the song continues, the feeling of safety slowly comes undone, revealing the disappointment in loving someone who doesn’t support you the way you support them. It becomes recognizing your worth and refusing to shrink yourself, even if the best way to do that is walking away. The best way you can see this is in the lines: “You react like I’m crossing a line// I’m too much to handle, and, “Just dial it back a bit”// Well, well, I’m not having it, babe.” Something continuous about her songs is how minimal the instruments are, which keeps her vocals the main focus, and that really shows in this track. It’s slow and simple, which makes it feel so personal, almost like she’s your therapist instead of singing you a song. The final track of the album, “I’ve Seen It,” is truly the best way to close out the album. It makes me tear up every time I listen to it. It is the perfect depiction of love. “I’ve Seen It” mentions the trials and errors, the small crushes, and the lifetime marriages, the sad endings, friendships, films, and songs of love. It reflects love in all its forms. It captures how love exists everywhere and grows over time, showing how every experience we have with love, both the bad and the good, helps us understand it a little bit better, which calls back to the first track, “The Art of Loving.” This song reminds me so much of me. I love love so much. It is so much a part of who I am, and this track reflects that part of me perfectly. As you go through your life, you run into a billion different people who are facing love in a billion different ways, and there is something so special about that. You really see that when you people watch at an airport you’ve been at for almost four hours, like I have when my flight has been delayed three hours. Reminds me of that one famous line from the movie Love, Actually, where Hugh Grant says, “If you look for it, I’ve got a sneaky feeling you’ll find that love actually is all around.” When I found this amazing album, I was at such a turning point in my life. I was starting my first semester of college in a city I didn’t know that well. I was officially on my own, beginning to learn who I am when I’m by myself. I was meeting new people, making new friendships, and discovering the New York “dating scene.” Spoiler alert: it’s not as great as everyone thinks it is. The Art of Loving helped me navigate this new chapter, carrying me through every high and low emotion. Through every talking stage, 'situationship', and those “what ifs,” Olivia Dean reminded me of my self-worth and what I deserve, showing that I’m not alone. Never allowing me to have an original experience, which somehow makes me feel a little better. I recommend this album to anyone and everyone. Its sounds and lyrics stick with you, getting stuck in your head in the bestway. It’s one of the best albums I’ve ever listened to, and no matter how many words I couldwrite, I still couldn’t give this album the review it deserves. You just have to listen for yourself.
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