Olivia Dean Crowned Billboard's 2025 Rookie of the Year

British singer-songwriter Olivia Dean has been named Billboard’s 2025 Rookie of the Year, marking a major milestone in a career that has expanded rapidly over the past year. The recognition follows the growing international reach of her music and the continued chart performance of her second studio album, The Art of Loving. Dean, born Olivia Lauryn Dean on 14 March 1999 in the London Borough of Haringey, was raised in Walthamstow by an English father and a Jamaican-Guyanese mother. Her middle name was inspired by Lauryn Hill, an artist who would later influence her musical direction. As a teenager, Dean gained a place at the BRIT School, initially studying theatre before switching to songwriting. She has previously said she “wanted to go there like hell or high water” in an interview with the BBC. Dean began writing songs in her mid-teens and taught herself guitar and piano. Her graduation performance caught the attention of her future manager, Emily Braham, which led to an audition with Rudimental. She later joined the group as a backing singer, marking the start of her professional music career. In 2023, Dean released her debut album Messy, which earned critical attention and a shortlist place for the Mercury Prize Album of the Year. Her follow-up, The Art of Loving, was released in September 2025 and has since topped the Official UK Albums Chart for a fifth non-consecutive week. The album includes singles such as Nice to Each Other, Lady Lady, and Man I Need, and has contributed to her growing profile in the United States. Alongside her music, Dean has attracted public interest for her personal life. In 2024, she was linked to Harry Styles after the pair were seen together in public, although neither confirmed a relationship, and later reports described them as friends. In 2025, she was also linked to drummer Eddie Burns, following public appearances and social media interaction. Dean has not publicly commented on either relationship.