Ep. 226: Olivia Dean | The Art of Loving (and Finding Yourself)

Today's guest is an international soul sensation...From writing “The Hardest Part” on Zoom to conquering imposter syndrome, crafting hits like "Dive" and "Man I Need," and creating her acclaimed album The Art of Loving.. She is on a meteoric rise in music. We discuss raw stories of heartbreak, growth, the magic of songwriting.. and how she learned to protect her voice in a room and write music that actually feels like her. And The Writer Is...Olivia Dean! Whether you're a songwriter, fan, or music lover, this episode is packed with inspiration, laughs, and behind-the-scenes gems. Presented by NMPA.. The National Music Publisher's Association. Championing songwriters everywhere. Thank you to our sponsors! Co-presented by Splice. The best music sample library in music. CHAPTERS: 00:00 – Welcome to the Soul 01:50 – “I Still Feel So British” 03:00 – First Trip to L.A. (With No GPS or Plan) 04:00 – Learning to Trust Her Own Taste 07:40 – When Artists Had Time to Be Bad 08:30 – Making Meaningful Music in a Chart World 09:20 – “I Don’t Write Every Day” 13:35 – Disney, West Side Story, and Other Early Teachers 15:50 – The First Song: “Mean Boy” 17:05 – Parents Who Said Yes 17:20 – The BRIT School Plan 20:05 – Busking, Best Friends, and the Birth of a Band 22:15 – The First Show: 70 Tickets, 10 People on Stage 23:40 – Signing Her First Deal 25:00 – The Studio Explosion (Her Worst Song Story) 27:00 – Surviving the Rooms 29:15 – How the Best Songs Are Written 30:45 – The Yellow Van Tour (COVID-Era Reinvention) 31:30 – “OK Love You Bye” — The First Song That Felt Free 34:00 – From 70 Fans to 100 Million Streams 36:00 – It Takes a Village (and a Lot of Gratitude) 39:00 – “The Hardest Part” — The Song She Hated (That Changed Everything) 40:00 – The Take That Hurts Is the Take That Wins 43:20 – NMPA Ad Read 44:05 – Splice Ad Read 47:45 – Crying on the Studio Floor 48:00 – “Dive” — When the World Started Singing Back 51:40 – Being a Woman Who Writes (and Plays) 53:10 – The Anatomy of a Song 56:25 – “I Don’t Write Lies” 57:35 – “The Art of Loving” — How the Album Was Born 1:00:15 – What Love Actually Taught Her 1:01:35 – Making Time for Love Anyway 1:02:55 – Ross’s Mirror Moment 1:04:30 – Learning to Sit in Silence 1:05:45 – The Weight of Words 1:06:30 – Being Heard And The Writer Is... Hosted by Ross Golan Produced by Joe London and Jad Saad Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.