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Olivia Dean just nabbed the first Grammy of her career, and that’s a big deal.
The 26-year-old “Man I Need” singer won Best New Artist at the Grammy Awards on Sunday, February 1st. The London-born singer paid tribute to immigrants in an emotional acceptance speech.
“I’m here as the granddaughter of immigrants,” she said. “I’m a product of courage and I think those people deserve to be celebrated.”
Dean added, “We can’t do anything without each other.” The singer also said, “I never imagined I would be standing here, let alone being nominated.”
This is Dean’s first Grammy win and first nomination. Cateye, The Marias, Addison Rae, Sombre, Leon Thomas, Alex Warren and Laura Young were also nominated in this category.
Prior to Dean, Chapel Lawn was the most recent winner of the Grammy Award for Best New Artist, which had previously been won by artists such as Olivia Rodrigo, Megan Thee Stallion, Billie Eilish and Dua Lipa. Roan presented the award to Dean.
Dean’s comments on immigration come after several artists, including Billie Eilish and Justin Bieber, wore “ICE Out” pins to the Grammy Awards in protest of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. In January, Renee Good and Alex Preti were shot and killed by federal agents in Minneapolis during the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, sparking outrage and ongoing protests.
The Recording Academy says nominees for Best New Artist must have “made a breakthrough into the public consciousness and made an impact on the music world during that year’s eligibility period.” This is why Dean is able to win this award even though he has been working in music for almost 10 years.
After all, Dean’s debut single “Reason to Stay” was self-released in 2018, the same year that Dean gained attention after posting a cover of “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” on YouTube after Aretha Franklin’s death.
By 2023, Dean released his debut studio album ‘Messy’. However, it was the 2025 sequel, The Art of Loving, and especially its third single, “Man I Need,” that truly broke her in America. The song was a huge hit for Dean, peaking at number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 after debuting at number 82 on that chart in September.
“I’ve never been on the charts before and I’ve been putting out music for quite some time, so it’s a little bit of a new world for me,” she told Billboard last year.
Dean’s Grammy win follows a successful fall season in which he opened for Sabrina Carpenter on her Short and Sweet Tour in October and appeared as a musical guest on Glen Powell’s “Saturday Night Live” in November.
Ahead of the Grammys, Dean’s previous accolades include a nomination at the BRIT Awards, tying him with Young for the most nominations at this year’s ceremony, scheduled for February 28th. The Art of Loving Tour will begin its North American leg in July, starting with two stops in San Francisco.
Contributor: Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY
