As soon as Olivia Dean won the Best New Artist at the Grammy Awards 2026, the internet immediately erupted in confusion.
Across social media platforms, comments began circulating stating, “Nobody knows who Olivia Dean is,” as several users questioned how a low-profile British singer managed to beat out far more mainstream nominees.
While the Grammy audience may have just discovered Dean, her win wasn’t a fluke. The singer has wanted to be a singer ever since she was eight years old.
Olivia Dean grew up immersed in soul music, stage fright, and a relentless belief that she was meant to sing
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Dean was born on March 14, 1999, in London’s Haringey borough to a Jamaican-Guyanese mother and an English father. Her middle name, “Lauryn”, was inspired by Lauryn Hill, an influence that later echoed through her sound.
She was introduced to Jill Scott, Angie Stone, and Lauryn Hill by her mother, while her father played Carole King and Al Green at home.
“My dad has a huge record collection, and we would always dance around in the kitchen together to whatever was his favourite record at the time,” she said during an interview with Schön! in 2021.
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@varietymagazine #OliviaDean accepts the #Grammy ♬ original sound – Variety
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Despite knowing she wanted to be a singer by age eight, performing did not come easily.
During a primary school competition, she became so nervous that she turned her back to the audience and cried, yet she still placed second.
At 15, Dean was accepted into the BRIT School, where she endured a nearly four-hour daily commute.
“It was the best thing I ever did,” she later said, crediting the school for pushing her toward songwriting after she initially studied musical theatre.
By 16, Dean began writing songs and built her career slowly through street performances, small crowds, and a debut album
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Dean began writing songs at 16 and was busking on London’s South Bank at 17, sometimes earning just enough money to eat.
After performing at a school showcase, she caught the attention of manager Emily Braham, who would later become her “best friend and manager” for over a decade.
She worked as a backing vocalist for Rudimental and self-released early singles. During the pandemic, she toured in the UK in a bright yellow truck, performing to crowds as small as five people.
Image credits: Getty/Amy Sussman
Her 2023 debut album, Messy, marked a turning point in her life. It earned a Mercury Prize nomination and established her reputation.
The Standard described her album as a collection of “devastating heartbreak ballads and sing-along self-love anthems”.
But it was her second album that changed everything for the 26-year-old.
Dean’s second album quietly dominated charts and led to a 2026 Grammy win that surprised viewers
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Dean’s second album, The Art of Loving, released in 2025, changed everything for her. Singles like Nice to Each Other, Lady Lady, So Easy (To Fall in Love), and Man I Need all charted, with Man I Need hitting No. 1 in the UK.
Following this, she became the first female solo artist to place four singles simultaneously in the UK Top 10.
At the Grammys, she appeared stunned as her name was announced for the Best New Artist.
Image credits: oliviadeano
“I never really imagined I’d be up here,” Dean told the crowd, before thanking her team and reflecting on her background.
“I’m up here as a granddaughter of an immigrant,” she said. “I’m a product of bravery, and I think those people deserve to be celebrated.”
She beat out a talented field of nominees, including KATSEYE, The Marías, Addison Rae, Sombr, Leon Thomas, Alex Warren, and Lola Young.
“Olivia deserved so bad,” wrote one netizen on her Grammys 2026 win
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