How ‘grounded’ BRIT Award favourite Olivia Dean was always destined for ‘great success’ – EXCLUSIVE

We know her as the Grammy-winning songstress with velvety smooth vocals, but to her English teacher, Mike Offen, Olivia Dean was a kind, hardworking and dedicated student.

The Haringey-born singer, 26, has been nominated for Artist of the Year at the 2026 BRIT Awards, and, ahead of the ceremony on Saturday evening, HELLO! caught up with Mike, who had nothing but praise for his talented former student.

“What struck me immediately was her work ethic,” Mike says of Olivia, who joined the state-funded school in his tutor group in Year 10. “She arrived with more professional experience than most, having performed in competitions like the Big Busk, where she was a finalist.

“Despite her obvious talent, she remained incredibly grounded. She balanced the pressure of external performances and a long daily commute from Walthamstow with her academic studies,  achieving excellent GCSE grades and 100% attendance and punctuality,” Mike said.

Olivia attended the BRIT School in Croydon for four years, which is judged Outstanding by Ofsted, studying musical theatre before changing to music. She chose English as one of her A-levels, something which proud teacher Mike believes is reflected in her award-winning discography. 

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Mike, who was also Olivia’s form tutor as well as her AS Level English teacher, explains: “Olivia really loved English, and this is clearly visible in the storytelling within her music. I remember being impressed with her dedication when she chose to study A Level English Literature alongside music at Post-16, having a natural ability to balance her academic studies with everything she was achieving musically.”

Destined for greatness

Her aforementioned work ethic and obvious natural talent were a recipe for stardom, Mike explaining that while it’s “mindblowing” to see Olivia’s star on the rise, it isn’t surprising. 

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“Watching Olivia achieve multiple number ones, break records, and win a Grammy has been mind-blowing, though in many ways, we aren’t surprised. When you see that level of talent paired with such a disciplined work ethic, you know they are destined for great things.”

Beautiful inside and out 

But it wasn’t just Olivia’s exceptional vocals and killer work ethic that made her stand out, as Olivia appears to have always been incredibly supportive of those around her. Joining her in the same category at the BRITs is fellow nominee and BRIT school Alumna, Lola Young.

“I saw a video from the Grammys recently where Olivia had just won Best New Artist. Instead of being caught up in her own moment, she was waiting nervously for the Best Pop Performance results, visibly delighted when Lola Young won. To me, that sums Olivia up perfectly: she is remarkably successful, but she remains supportive of her peers and has never lost her sense of self,” Mike says.

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And it was her kindness and support for her peers that were always clear while at school, Mike says, recalling the time she and her best friend Rosie volunteered to perform for the LGBTQ+ Assembly. 

“They put themselves forward for our annual LGBTQ+ assembly to show their support as allies. Olivia sang a cover of ‘Only Love’ by Ben Howard; even at fifteen, her voice had a maturity that completely blew us away.

Mike added: “During lockdown, they also supported the school as alumni, collaborating on a duet which they managed to splice together for the online version of our LGBTQ+ Assembly.”