LIVE REVIEW: Olivia Dean @ The Dome, Liverpool

Away from the chaos of a Saturday night in Liverpool, Olivia Dean delivered an intimate performance showcasing six songs from her widely anticipated second album ‘The Art of Loving’. Under the warm glow of two lamps on stage, she didn’t just perform, she connected with every member of the audience, with her soul-filled voice echoing around the venue. 

Photo Credit: Sophie Melville / @sopphoto

Olivia's heartfelt renditions of six songs from her upcoming album, three of which unreleased adding a specific uniqueness to the gig, enforced how her album explores love in all aspects. Every song played was a sincere, personal aspect of a different part of her life. A key highlight being her unreleased song ‘So Easy (To Fall In Love)’, an uplifting, jazz-style track all about self love and reminding you that “you are fab!”. The set ended with a surprise cover of The Beatles ‘Yesterday’, a quiet love letter to Liverpool, with the city being “a joy to play in”. 

However, it was the twenty minute Q&A after the set which truly defined the night’s intimacy. Olivia spoke candidly about her creative process and the pride of her album “being received so warmly.” One fan in particular expressed a deep gratitude for her music’s impact stating “I can tell how much you help every person in this room”. 

Olivia also answered the all important question “if you were a biscuit, what biscuit would you be?” with the extremely controversial “Jaffa Cake”, adding a unique sense to the gig to hear a rising artist talking so informally with fans. 

After a barrage of fans begging her to sing her breakout hit 'The Hardest Part', Dean and only her pianist ended a mesmerising evening at The Dome with an ardent rendition of her hit, leaving the crowd falling even deeper in love with Dean and her work.