Apple Music has announced that Olivia Dean is their Artist of the Year.
It’s the first time a UK artist has won this accolade and tops what has been an incredible year for the Tottenham-born singer. Her second album The Art Of Loving went double platinum in the UK, she won a Grammy for Best New Artist and four Brit awards including the coveted Album Of The Year gong and spent the year touring the world, which has included a four night run at Madison Square Garden and a six night residency at London’s O2.
There’s also been the little matter of Rein Me In – the 2025 single, which Dean co-wrote but first appeared on Sam Fender’s People Watching album – has smashed chart records in the UK, spending 23 non-consecutive weeks at Number One, a stretch that only ended in September, fifteen months after the track was first released.
It’s been a long time coming for the 27-year-old too. Dean released her first single back in 2018 and signed to Virgin/EMI pre-pandemic in 2019. Though to most of the record-buying public she’s still fairly new, she has more than paid her dues.
In a statement about the award, Dean said: “I love making music. It’s the best thing in the world. I think being Apple’s Artist of the Year feels really amazing. To be recognised as an artist that’s made an impact is really cool.”
Meanwhile, Rachel Newman, Apple Music’s Co-Head, has praised the artist, saying: “What sets Olivia apart is that she speaks from the heart, every time. Her songs make you want to call a friend, dance in your kitchen, and tell someone you love them.
"She is open and genuine in everything she shares, and that connection is what turned a great year into a defining one.”
And Dean will pick up an actual physical award from the streaming giant. Apparently, each Apple Music award contains Apple’s ‘custom silicon wafer’ between a polished sheet of glass, and a ‘machined and anodised aluminium body.’
Symbolically, Apple claim that “the same chip powering the devices that put over 100 million songs at listeners’ fingertips also sits at the very heart of the Apple Music Awards.”
Time now, perhaps, for the singer to buy a bigger trophy cabinet...
