Olivia Dean Releases “UFO”.
Written by: Eva Lynch
East London sweetheart Olivia Dean has released her first single of 2023, “UFO”. “UFO” is Dean’s follow-up to her 2022 single, Danger, she released last october -- Dean has otherwise been doing single-song projects such as a cover of Feist’s “Wish I Didn’t Miss You” with the Mahogany Sessions, or a Nat King Cole cover for “Christmas 2021”, in
a follow up to her series of EPs spanning across 2020 and 2021.
In a tweet, Dean confirmed that UFO will be the first single off of her debut album, which has yet to be announced, however fans are sure to get a sneak peak as Dean embarks on her nearly sold-out UK tour this March.
The song begins with an acoustic verse where Dean has a robotic echo behind her voice, offering an extraterrestrial element to the song, before the guitar comes in and the backing vocals fade into the instruments. Despite its space-like elements and associations, the song is balanced by grounded depiction of Dean’s affections, positioning her as the alien exploring these foreign feelings as she claims,
“And I need somewhere to land, I might as well fall Into your earthly hands so let me know UFO”.
She sings about her desires to water their plants and share their socks and hold hands in this overwhelmingly domestic balance to the romantic ode. The metaphor of her as an alien speaks to navigating unknown feelings and the doubts which come with revisiting and opening herself up to love, beginning the song with the verse,
“I'm tryna fly a UFO, don't really do this often
Plus I forgot all the controls, me and my sexy problems
If love's the drug then I'm a mug and I've tried plenty of them
You're the best version that I've seen.”
This sweet and soft tune about feeling lucky in love is sure to warm you this winter. Dean brings her characteristic romantic flare, in her soulful melodies and vulnerable lyrics, and mature retrospectives on love, relationships, loss and growth. She has a vintage quality in her voice and message that’s reminiscent of old jazz and soul love songs. Her latest two singles seem to experiment more with a pop edge to her music which I can’t wait to hear on her new album, and is sure to be a masterclass in feeling, if her other projects are any indication.