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

Video Description

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, and 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