@universalmusicgroup this was the saturday night (live) we needed with @Olivia Dean. 💛 #oliviadean #saturdaynightlive #SNL #manineed #theartofloving ♬ Man I Need - Olivia Dean

🎷✨ When Jazz Meets the Heartline

Olivia Dean’s Man I Need settles perfectly into the tender universe she shapes on The Art of Loving, her 2025 R&B/Soul album that treats love as something crafted with intention, softness, and truth. The song’s slow‑burn honesty — the horns breathing, the room softening, her voice asking for presence and clarity — mirrors the emotional craftsmanship that has suddenly made her everywhere. As the Washington Post noted, Dean’s rise feels rapid because her music has become planetary: TikTok loops her hooks, pop radio can’t let go of her warmth, and fans across continents use her songs as emotional shorthand. Man I Need is part of that wave — a track that travels easily through social networks because it feels like a universal confession, a gentle insistence on being loved well. In her vision, loving is an art, vulnerability is rhythm, and every note she sings becomes a place where millions now meet her.

🎶 🎷💛🎤🌙🎶✨🌿🏙️🧡📻🌟🎧🎵 🔊 Man I Need - Olivia Dean

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Olivia Dean didn’t just perform in Nottingham on September 20 at Saltbox Bar & Kitchen; she arrived with purpose — bringing her band, her creative team, and the evolving spirit of her new era to a room ready to listen.

Fresh off the momentum of The Art of Loving, she chose this intimate venue as a space to reconnect with fans, test new arrangements, and let her musicians stretch into the warm, jazz‑leaning sound she’s been quietly shaping behind the scenes. What could have been a simple tour stop became a glowing pocket of jazz, soul, and youthful emotion, crafted with intention.

🌙 Crafting a New Sound Era

What unfolded that night during her intimate live concert — highlighted by a stirring performance of “Man I Need” and a tender, glowing rendition of "So Easy (To Fall in Love)" — was less a show and more a living, breathing celebration of what modern soul can be. With her band weaving soft horns, warm keys, and subtle rhythmic shifts around her voice, Olivia revealed the vision guiding her next chapter: music that feels handmade, heartfelt, and alive in the moment.

🎷 A New Generation Claims the Groove

Jazz isn’t just back—it’s being claimed by a new generation. Olivia Dean’s Nottingham show was packed with young fans who didn’t just show up, they showed out. From the very first note, the crowd was singing, swaying, and fully locked into the groove, turning the venue into a warm, collective heartbeat. It wasn’t polite applause—it was full‑body joy, the kind that rises from people who feel seen, moved, and musically understood. The band matched that energy with tight arrangements and a sound so rich it felt like velvet in the air.

💛 The Art of Loving Comes Alive

Dean opened with familiar favorites, but the night truly ignited when she stepped into the world of her new album, The Art of Loving, In Person. Songs like "Nice To Each Other", “Man I Need,” and a handful of unreleased tracks brought a fresh, intimate energy to the room—jazzy, tender, and deeply felt. These performances revealed the album’s emotional architecture: love as craft, vulnerability as rhythm, and honesty as the quiet engine behind every lyric. Live, the songs expanded, breathing differently, glowing differently, becoming shared experiences rather than private confessions.

🎤 A Quiet Moment, A Clear Vision

Midway through the set, Olivia paused for a rare, quiet moment with her manager on stage. They spoke softly about how the album came together, what it means to her, and how performing it live feels like letting people step directly into her world. Just days earlier, critic Megan Neton had described the album as “a bold, emotionally rich exploration of love,” praising its minimalist production and Dean’s lyrical honesty. That sentiment echoed through the room as the audience leaned in, listening not just to the music but to the intention behind it.

🎶 A Crowd That Felt Every Note

The audience wasn’t passive—they were part of the performance. Eva Patterson captured the night perfectly: "I loved every minute of the show! The live band was everything. The whole crowd singing along (including myself haha) truly showed how much people enjoy her music 🥹". It was a reminder that Olivia Dean’s rise isn’t accidental; her songs resonate because they feel lived‑in, generous, and emotionally accessible. In Nottingham, that connection was undeniable, a chorus of voices lifting her music higher.

✨ A Night That Proved Jazz and Soul Are Evolving

This wasn’t just a concert. It was a reminder that jazz and soul are alive, evolving, and being embraced by a new wave of listeners who aren’t afraid to feel deeply and sing loudly. Olivia Dean stands at the center of that movement—an artist who honors the roots of the genres while shaping their future with warmth, clarity, and a voice that carries both tenderness and truth. Nottingham didn’t just witness a show; it witnessed a shift, a moment where a new generation claimed jazz as its own. And as a final gift, she interpreted Dive from her 2023 album Messy, letting the room exhale into a hush that felt like collective gratitude.

#JazzNight🎷 #SoulEnergy💛 #LiveGroove🎤 #ArtOfLoving✨ #NottinghamVibes🎶