OVO Hydro, Glasgow
The glam set design, gleaming brass, and Motown moves evoke a deliberate retro feel, yet Olivia Dean’s performance is immediate, vulnerable, and natural – the hallmark of a unique artist.
When the stage’s cream curtains draw back, Dean and her band are already in full swing. With hands reaching out to the audience in welcome, she shimmies behind a silver microphone stand wearing a floor-length candyfloss-pink dress, while her band moves gracefully on curved, softly carpeted risers. The swinging, sighing soul-pop single "Nice to Each Other" radiates optimism about an on-off relationship, complemented by soft-focus camera footage that creates a collage of gleaming trumpets, glamorous backing singers, and Dean’s beaming face. The atmosphere recalls old-fashioned music television, blending a knowingly retro style with deep romance – everything expected from the 27-year-old singer who is revitalizing British soul.
On this opening night of two sold-out arena shows in Glasgow, ahead of six nights at London’s O2, Dean breezes through two more of her biggest songs with apparent ease. "Lady Lady," a bass-rich track about moving out and growing up, is followed by "So Easy (To Fall in Love)," which is free, flirty, and radiant.
“This is a song to remind you that you’re fab,”she sings, now dancing at the stage’s footlights.
Dean’s rising profile, cemented by her Grammy win for best new artist in February, is largely due to this airy, effortless charm. When she drops the polish for a showstopping performance of "Let Alone the One You Love," the contrast is striking. Leaning on a keyboard with a furrowed brow, she channels genuine frustration as she relives an argument, her voice rising:
“If you knew me at all, you wouldn’t try to keep me small.”Her brass players accentuate the moment with a fanfare. While the song’s bright arrangement feels somewhat misplaced on record, live it clearly serves as a defiant response: good luck trying to dim Dean’s light.
“I drove past on my way here,”she says slowly.
“I never imagined I could have my own arena tour.”Just three years ago, she played a 300-capacity club before jumping to a venue triple its size in 2024. Aside from the glitzy set design, the core of Dean’s show remains unchanged. Since her last visit, she has added two singers to her band and a wardrobe of glamorous costume changes, but the real evolution is in Olivia herself. Magnetic and commanding, she still incorporates Motown moves – a hand perched on her hip or a finger held aloft in classic girl-group style – but her performance now feels lived-in and natural, as does her soft, expressive voice.
She has also grown in confidence to show vulnerability. When Dean sits on a stool to sing the older track "UFO," accompanied only by her longtime bassist and guitarist, the audience lights the arena with their phones. While this is a common gesture for ballads, Dean visibly crumbles at the sight. She manages to reach the final line before holding her face in her hands and breaking down in tears:
“I’ll never forget that,”she says, her voice squeaking.
There is a palpable affection for her in the room, shared by an audience witnessing a star stepping into new, long-anticipated territory. This sentiment casts a warm glow over some of her less compelling material, which shines brighter with the big band treatment and Dean’s sheer force of personality. By the time she closes, inevitably, with "Man I Need" – her first UK No 1 and the latest addition to Spotify’s Billions Club – Dean is visibly elated, her feet barely touching the ground. As the curtains close and the end credits roll, the evening feels like a classic romance in every sense.
