Olivia Dean Shares Why ‘Man I Need’ Nearly Didn’t Become a Single Despite Her Love for It

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While waiting for the man she needs, Olivia Dean has delivered a song that resonates widely.

In a Tuesday, April 13 interview with Hits Radio, Dean shared her experiences of living her dreams, meeting music icons, and her upcoming tour. During her discussion with host Marvin Humes, the Grammy-nominated Best New Artist revealed that her hit “Man I Need,” which peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 from her album *The Art of Loving*, was initially not intended for release as a single.

“I wasn’t sure about it,” Dean stated, reflecting on the track’s potential. “I thought it was a little bit different.”

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Dean explained that her feelings about “Man I Need” shifted after performing the song with her band during rehearsals.

“I knew I really liked it. But I didn’t know if it was representative of the whole album and the story,” Dean said when asked if she anticipated the song would be a hit. “But I’m glad I followed through with that one.”

Despite “Man I Need” making the final cut for the album, Dean noted that many other songs did not. She hinted at the possibility of sharing those unreleased tracks in the future, teasing, “I might still do something with them.”

The decision to release “Man I Need” as a single has proven successful for the British artist. The song has reached No. 2 on the charts and has spent over 20 weeks in the Hot 100’s top 10. Notably, “Man I Need” has also made history by topping Billboard’s Adult R&B Airplay, Pop Airplay, and Adult Pop Airplay charts, making Dean the first woman to achieve this feat since Adele with “Hello” in 2015-16.

Watch Dean’s full interview with Hits Radio below.