Olivia Dean Puts ‘The Art Of Loving’ On Glamorous Display at Madison Square Garden

What a difference a year makes. As Olivia Dean eased into her second sold-out night at Madison Square Garden, the British star reminisced that it was only about nine months ago that she was in the same iconic venue as an opening act for Sabrina Carpenter. “This is crazy. Now we’re doing our own four shows here.”

In that amount of time, plenty has changed for the 27-year-old talent. The infectious bounce of her hit single “Man I Need” – the heart-opening anthem meant to be belted out on major stages – propelled Dean’s name up the Billboard charts last summer. Her sophomore album, The Art of Loving, captivated millions as soon as it dropped last fall. By February, she had won four BRIT Awards and was crowned Best New Artist at the Grammys. During her four-night takeover of MSG this month, Olivia and her band managed to make the world-famous arena feel funky and intimate. With big and small moments of starpower on display, Dean reminded thousands exactly why she’s earned her place on that stage as one of today’s best artists.

As the opener for Saturday’s show (August 15), Baby Rose warmed up the crowd with Fleetwood Mac covers and soon-to-be-classics like “Is This Love” and “Better” from her own recent album, Yearnalism. The age range and faces of concertgoers finding their seats in the buzzy venue made it clear that everyone appreciates Olivia’s brand of lover-girl. It was a date night, a girls’ night, and a daddy-daughter experience all in one. 

When the woman of the hour promptly began her set at 9 p.m., her playful silhouette appeared behind blushed draped curtains. But when the curtains drew back, they revealed the star and her ensemble band as a sharp-dressed and sharper-sounding unit. Throughout the hour-and-a-half spectacle, Olivia cycled through a treasure trove of fringed and glittered dresses as she guided the audience through her discography with precision. The horns section snarled, the background vocalists riffed, and Olivia picked up multiple instruments herself – the tambourine, guitar, shakers, and the piano. The entire time, the artist’s goddess-like image remained projected behind her on the stage curtains, making it feel like you were already living in the show as a memory.

Acknowledging the whirlwind she’s been on was one of many heartfelt, pinch-me moments Dean shared during the evening, when the show’s perfectly coiffed presentation felt less choreographed. A handful of seconds slipped into sincerity. There was a quiet moment at the piano—while singing the ballad “Slowly” from her Growth EP—where Dean’s voice briefly dropped, maybe because she recalled the emotional weight behind the lyrics she penned years ago. There was the moment mid-set when she placed herself in the middle of the crowd to sing what she said was her current favorite track, “A Couple Minutes.” From the second she started the first verse, the entire arena sang along, proving the quiet track about acknowledging imperfect closure with an ex is her best song to date.

What is it about Olivia Dean that makes her so magnetic in this moment? It’s not just the signature warmth of her vocals or her statuesque figure topped with pillowy curls. It’s not the catchy hooks you can’t help but grin at while reciting. It’s not the zillennial love games remixed in her songwriting over Motown soul rhythms. It’s that in a world that currently prioritizes convenience, avoidance and nonchalance, her music puts the urge for connection, for intimacy, for honest, consequential love front and center. She isn’t afraid to yearn, linger and learn in her songs or onstage. Dean’s triumphant New York City run is a testament to the human experience of love that can never be faked.

Olivia Dean’s The Art of Loving Tour Setlist (August 15)