In an interview with Paper , Dean shared that she had been "working really hard" on the album, expressing a desire to "sing for everybody" and be welcomed with "open arms" and "love", a gesture she described as a "vulnerable" act. [3] The result has been described as a "tender, intentional deep dive" into different forms of love, including "romantic, platonic, self, and everything in between". [4] The album has also been called "her most intimate work yet", showcasing the qualities her audience has come to admire. [5]
Dean announced The Art of Loving on 2 June 2025. [6] To accompany the news, she released the lead single, "Nice to Each Other", on 30 May. Dean described the track as a "push and pull of exploring your independence in dating" and emphasised its "playfulness". [7] The album's release is preceded by several live performances, including joint appearances with Sabrina Carpenter and Sam Fender, as well as her own headlining North American tour. [8]
The album will be supported by the The Art of Loving Live 2026 tour.
Critical reception
The Art of Loving received widespread critical acclaim upon release. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album holds an average score of 84, based on 9 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim". [15]
Writing for Rolling Stone , Larisha Paul praised the record as a significant artistic step forward, highlighting "Man I Need" and "Let Alone the One You Love" as career-defining moments and comparing Dean’s balladry to Amy Winehouse, Adele, and early Beyoncé. [13] Helen Brown of The Independent called it both “deep and breezy” and commended Dean’s ability to “de-complicate and de-escalate romance with playful generosity.” [11] Similarly positive, The Skinny saw it as “a continuation and a step forward” from her debut Messy, with a new level of “maturity and authenticity". [14]
In The Guardian , Alexis Petridis credited Dean for shedding the “neo-soul clichés” of her debut in favor of 1970s Los Angeles–inspired pop and soft rock, while praising her understated vocals and diaristic lyrics. [10] Clash described it as “a quiet, meditative exploration of love,” while noting occasional repetitiveness in its pacing. The review nonetheless praised Dean’s voice as the centerpiece of the record and “crystalline, versatile and laced with warmth”. [9]
Some criticism was more reserved. Pitchfork's Walden Green characterized Dean’s voice as warm and engaging but suggested that parts of the record leaned too heavily on retro pastiche, particularly on “Close Up” and “Baby Steps”. [12]
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