Olivia Dean Pays An Ode To The 'Ladies Room' With Her New Single

Breakout, London-based singer, Olivia Dean, has just released her new single ‘Ladies Room’ and it’s safe to say it doesn’t disappoint. After her first album, ‘Messy’, released in June, shot to success, Dean remains on brand with this new song about a place of cultural significance for women - the bathroom.

The 24-year-old Dean put her name on the map back in 2019 when she collaborated with Rudimental on the song ‘Adrenaline’, since then it seems the only place she’s going is up. 2023, in particular, has been a big year for the singer, with the release of her first album, becoming a brand ambassador for Chanel, performing at Glastonbury, her fanbase is expanding more than ever. 

Olivia Dean comes from British as well as Jamaican-Guyanese heritage. She spent her youth in gospel choirs before attending the infamous BRIT School, where some of her musical inspirations like the late Amy Winehouse also attended. In 2021, she was named Breakthrough Artist of the Year by Amazon Music and ‘Messy’ was shortlisted as Mercury Prize’s album of the year.

Ladies Room is an exploration of the women’s toilets in places like pubs and clubs, a place that has become renowned for its safe and joyful aura. The lyrics “Doing it for me/ Put myself on top” and “You don’t have to give me everything/I got everything” in the second verse point to the uplifting words that are said literally behind closed doors in women’s bathrooms. The song is about enjoying your independence and not wanting the night to end. It’s sultry, and slightly mellow with obvious hints of R&B.

This single release comes after the news that her UK ‘Messy’ Tour sold out. She is due to tour the UK and Europe in 2024, but is performing a handful of shows in the US next month in November, until then let’s hope she releases more music!

Sienna Norris

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Image: ‘Ladies Room’ Official Single Cover