Few artists capture emotion like Olivia Dean. The British singer-songwriter has built a reputation for soulful vocals and deeply personal songwriting that feels both timeless and modern. It’s already led to major accolades. She was awarded “Best New Artist” at the 2026 Grammys back in February. She’s also the face of Burberry’s “Her” fragrance campaign.
Dean displays the same effortless confidence the brand is known for. Shot in the greenery of Hampstead Heath, the campaign taps into a softer side of London that echoes the warmth in her music. Dean also created the campaign’s original soundtrack, turning the feeling of the fragrance into sound.
We caught up with Dean to talk about the Burberry campaign, the creative freedom she’s exploring after her last album, what her Grammys win meant to her, and more.
You recently made history by winning Best New Artist at the Grammys—the first British artist to do so since 2019. What did that moment mean to you?
I think I’m still processing what it means. It was all very surreal. But it felt like a really nice pat on the back. It’s proof of a lot of hard work, not just from me, but from the people around me. It made me very happy. I feel really blessed.
Burberry is intertwined with London, and London has shaped you as both a person and an artist. What parts of London does this fragrance capture for you?
When I think about this fragrance and the campaign, it feels like spring in London. It feels like the start of a new chapter. We shot it on Hampstead Heath, so it feels like being in nature in London, newness and a lightness. That’s what it feels like to me, that side of London rather than gray winter.
You talk a lot in your music about love and freedom. What kind of freedom are you stepping into right now?
I think both emotional and creative freedom. Creatively, I’m so proud of what I made with my last album, and having that recognition makes me want to make more. It’s been really inspiring to see it connect with so many people. I feel very free. I feel like I could do anything now. I feel like I have the wind underneath my sails. That ties into emotion as well. Making that album was like closing a chapter for me emotionally, so I feel like I’m a clean slate now. I’m ready to walk into the new chapter of my life.
You also created the original soundtrack for the campaign. How did you translate a scent into a sound?
It wasn’t something I’d done before. When I approached it, I was thinking a lot about storytelling because that’s how I write songs. It’s me moving through London, following the murmuration of birds. I thought it would be cool to write from the perspective of one of those birds. It’s also me flying above everything, sometimes above the density of the city that can bog you down, just feeling kind of untouchable. Sonically, I was listening to “Sexy Boy” by Air. When I’m shooting or trying to feel empowered, I listen to that song. So it was inspired by that, but also by pretending to be a bird.
What part of you do you feel Burberry really saw and trusted in this collaboration?
I think they saw that I’m not someone who’s afraid to be myself. Being from London, it felt like quite a natural fit. I feel like such a London girl through and through. I’m someone who leans into my natural side, but I’m also quite glamorous. I feel like Burberry captures both of those parts of me. It feels quite timeless. I love timelessness as a feeling.
How did growing up in London shape your sound or storytelling?
Growing up in London, especially East London, there’s real honesty. I can’t really shy away from that. It’s impossible for me to be dishonest in my art. It gives me the heebie-jeebies. London is also such a diverse city. Musically, I was able to soak in so many genres, people, friendships, and communities.
What’s the most British thing about you?
I do love a cup of tea. Tea is really a serious hobby. If you’re stressed, have a cup of tea. If you need to discuss something serious, have a cup of tea. I also love to queue. We will queue for anything. I’ll do it without complaining. And I love Marmite.
How did you become comfortable with being so vulnerable in your songwriting?
Sometimes I still find it difficult. It’s both very natural and completely unnatural for me. But like anything in life, you just keep doing it. I’m pulled to it, so I follow the feeling and sit with discomfort. It’s worth it for the connection it creates with others when they hear the music or when I perform it. Sometimes you have to ask yourself why something makes you uncomfortable. That can actually point you in the right direction.
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