Olivia Dean’s exceptional rise to music stardom: from enjoying Glasgow’s tiny King Tut’s venue to promoting out arenas in simply TWO years
It is only two years ago that she was playing a small music venue in Glasgow with a capacity of just 300.
But Grammy-winning star Olivia Dean has capped a remarkable rise to stardom with what the city’s huge OVO Hydro arena has praised as one of its top-selling performances ever.
The singer, whose hits include Man I Need and So Easy (To Fall In Love), kicked off her UK tour at the Scottish venue earlier this week in the venue that has a 14,000 capacity.
The first notes of the Art of Loving Tour sounded out just two years after Dean performed at an iconic – but tiny – Glasgow venue.
At one stage she told fans: “This is crazy. Apologies if I get emotional tonight but I just can’t believe how many people are here. Today we were driving in and I drove past King Tut’s. I played there two years ago, and there was 300 people in the room.
“Now I’m here with all of you, so thank you so much for being here.
SEC boss Dominic McKay applauded Dean’s success at the Hydro, saying: “Hosting two sold out nights for Olivia Dean is a landmark moment for the OVO Hydro and for Glasgow.
“These performances rank among the top selling shows in the venue’s history, reflecting not only Olivia’s exceptional talent and connection with audiences, but also Glasgow’s strength as a world class live events destination.
Olivia Dean, pictured performing at the Brit Awards in February, performed two sell out shows at the Ovo Hydro in Glasgow to kick of her first arena tour
Two years before this week’s gigs Dean played the legendary King Tut’s venue – where Oasis were signed – to just 300 people
“Over the past year, we’ve continued to invest in enhancing the Hydro experience, including increasing capacity so even more fans can enjoy live music. This evolution is helping us attract global, award-winning artists, and Olivia’s back-to-back sell-outs highlight the significant opportunity for international stars in Glasgow.”
Dean, 27, from Haringey, London, was accepted by BRIT School, a highly selective but free performing arts school in Croydon, aged 15.
She initially studied musical theatre, but switched to songwriting for her final two years and convinced her mother to buy her a second-hand piano.
The OVO Hydro is due to host a number of global acts this year including; Djoja Cat; Gorillaz and the Pussycat Dolls. The venue will also host Our Moment – Scotland’s biggest World Cup watch party and is a key venue for Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games.
