Olivia Dean is an up-and-coming pop singer who burst onto the music scene in 2019 with her debut single “So Am I.” The British singer-songwriter quickly gained a dedicated fanbase with her powerful vocals and vulnerable songwriting. But behind every great artist is a team of people working hard behind the scenes to help them succeed. So who exactly manages Olivia Dean and handles the business side of her blossoming career?
Olivia Dean’s Career Background
To understand who manages Olivia Dean today, it helps to first look at her career trajectory. Born in England in 2001, Olivia Dean showed artistic talent from a young age. She learned to play guitar and piano as a child and began writing her own songs as a teenager. In 2019 at age 17, Dean self-released her debut single “So Am I” on Spotify and instantly resonated with listeners.
The introspective pop ballad spotlighted Dean’s impressive vocal range and knack for raw, honest lyricism. “So Am I” quickly racked up over 30 million streams on Spotify and led to Dean signing with Epic Records and Sony Music UK. She soon released her follow-up single “How Do You Sleep?” which also achieved commercial success. Dean spent 2019 opening for big-name pop acts like HRVY on tour and generating buzz as an up-and-comer to watch.
2020 saw Dean continue her momentum with the singles “Sweet Talker” and “Woman.” She also released her debut EP, ‘Me and You,’ in May 2020. The EP showcased her versatility as both a singer and songwriter. Tracks like “Sleep” demonstrated her soulful vocals while “Silver Lining” highlighted her poignant, introspective lyrics. The EP entered the UK charts at number 55, an impressive debut for the then 18-year-old musician.
Dean’s Management Team
With her career picking up steam, Olivia Dean assembled a management team to help guide her path in the industry. Dean is currently managed by the company Evitare Entertainment. Based in London, Evitare is an artist management company founded by Blair Dreelan in 2014.
Dreelan serves as Dean’s day-to-day manager at Evitare. Some of his responsibilities include scheduling tours and appearances, acting as a liaison between Dean and her record label, advising on creative career choices, and overseeing the business side of her catalog and assets. Dreelan works closely with Dean on a daily basis and plays a key role in managing her busy career.
In addition to Dreelan, Dean works with Evitare’s co-founder Jack Foster. Foster handles more of the strategy and long-term planning for Dean’s career. He looks at the bigger picture when it comes to guiding her musical direction and growth. With the hands-on guidance of Dreelan combined with Foster’s oversight of her broader vision, the Evitare team provides Dean with comprehensive management services.
Record Label Situation
In addition to her management, Olivia Dean’s record label is also heavily involved in business decisions surrounding her career. As mentioned, Dean is currently signed to Epic Records in the U.K. This gives Epic and parent company Sony Music control over Dean’s recorded music and album releases.
Some of Epic’s responsibilities as Dean’s label likely include:
- Marketing and promotion of her singles and EPs
- Securing radio play and playlist placements on streaming services
- Managing recording budgets and schedules for new releases
- Facilitating collaborations with producers and features from other artists
Epic and Sony Music have played a crucial role in getting Dean’s music out to the masses and promoting her as an up-and-coming pop artist. They handle the distribution and commercial side of her catalog. The label works as an important partner to Evitare in making strategic decisions for Dean’s career success.
Additional Team Members
Lastly, while Evitare Entertainment and Epic Records make up Olivia Dean’s core management and label team, she likely has additional players helping with specialized areas of her career:
Business Manager
Handles her finances, accounting, and tax obligations. Helps manage her earnings and budgeting.
Attorney
Provides legal services by reviewing contracts and advising on matters like licensing and royalties.
Publicist
Oversees PR and media relations. Arranges interviews and profiles to garner press coverage.
Stylist
Crafts Dean’s performance looks and public image. Liaises with designers for custom performance outfits.
Tour Manager
Plans and manages Dean’s live shows and tours. Oversees the crew, travel, and day-to-day schedule on the road.
While Evitare Entertainment serves as Dean’s core management team, her overall career support system extends beyond them. However, manager Blair Dreelan remains the central point person guiding her journey to stardom.
The Path That Led to Evitare
So how did Olivia Dean end up becoming a client of Evitare Entertainment? As an emerging artist, she likely fielded offers from a variety of managers hungry to sign fresh young talent. Choosing the right fit was crucial at such a formative point in her budding career. There are a few factors that may have influenced her decision to sign with Evitare:
Their industry reputation
Although Evitare is on the smaller side for an artist management company, they had already built up an impressive reputation within the UK music scene. Dreelan and Foster had successfully guided other new artists early in their careers, getting their names on the map. Evitare’s experience developing breakout acts likely appealed to Dean as a promising newcomer.
Their small, hands-on approach
As a starting artist, Dean benefitted from a management team that could provide close, dedicated support. Evitare’s small size ensured that Dreelan and Foster could devote ample individual attention to guiding Dean’s early career strategy. Large management companies often juggle dozens of big-name clients. But Evitare offered a hands-on, nurturing environment.
Their passion for nurturing new talent
As reflected by their client roster, Dreelan and Foster seem genuinely passionate about scouting and developing promising up-and-comers. Dean likely felt that their eagerness to invest in her potential as a blossoming songwriter reflected a management philosophy aligned with her long-term goals.
Personal rapport with Dreelan
Lastly, Dean’s close creative partnership and rapport with Dreelan suggests they formed an instant personal connection. Having a manager she trusts and can collaborate smoothly with was likely a key factor for Dean in choosing Evitare.
Dean’s Plans for the Future
Under her current management team, Olivia Dean has achieved impressive success over just the past few years. Fans are eagerly anticipating what her future holds as she works on her first full-length album. In an interview with NME magazine in 2021, Dean gave some hints about what her team has planned next:
- Touring – She hopes to book her first solo headline tour in 2023 to support her upcoming album release.
- New music video – She is planning a bigger budget music video for her next single, directed by a top filmmaker.
- More collaborations – Dean wants to write and feature on tracks with some more established pop artists to expand her fanbase.
- Festivals – Her team is booked for several major festival appearances over the next couple years as her profile grows.
With Dreelan and Foster guiding her career strategy, Dean seems poised to reach even greater heights. Her management team has helped lay the foundation needed to transition her into a major headlining pop force down the road. Fans can expect Dean’s name to become even more prominent as she continues nurturing her craft and fanbase under Evitare’s stewardship.
Conclusion
Behind every rising music artist is a support team working tirelessly to manage their career. For British singer-songwriter Olivia Dean, that team consists primarily of managers Blair Dreelan and Jack Foster at Evitare Entertainment. After breaking onto the scene in 2019, Dean partnered with Evitare based on their experience guiding fresh talent and hands-on approach. They now handle the day-to-day business aspects and long-term strategy of Dean’s blossoming career.
With Dreelan’s guidance and Foster’s oversight, Evitare has helped Dean secure a major label deal, radio play, and momentum as one to watch in the pop world. As Dean works towards releasing a debut album and touring, her management team will continue serving as trusted advisors. They will help make key decisions about her musical direction, touring, branding, and more. Teamed up with label Epic Records, Evitare Entertainment remains instrumental in laying the groundwork for Dean’s future pop stardom.