How Olivia Dean’s Experience with a Single Mom Motivated Her to Speak Out Against High Ticketmaster and AEG Resale Prices
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British pop singer Olivia Dean expressed her frustration over the inflated resale prices fans were facing for her upcoming tour. Her ire was particularly sparked by the plight of a struggling single mother, which prompted her to take action.
In a conversation with Gayle King during a Soho Sessions and Grammy Museum event on December 15, Dean shared how one fan’s heartfelt message motivated her to confront ticketing giants Ticketmaster, Live Nation, and AEG. “When the tickets went on sale, I was looking at some stuff I was tagged in,” she recounted, according to People.
“I saw a video of a single mother, and she was like, ‘I connected so much to this album [The Art of Loving]. I can’t afford a ticket. I can afford the gas money and the babysitter, but can you just give me a ticket?’” Dean recalled. “And I was like, you are exactly the person that should be coming to the show.”
Dean’s album The Art of Loving, released in September, has marked one of the most significant breakthroughs of 2025 for the singer-songwriter. After her American tour dates went on sale in November, she garnered attention for her criticism of AEG, Ticketmaster, and Live Nation on social media. The two latter companies merged in 2010 to form Live Nation Entertainment.
“@Ticketmaster @Livenation @AEGPresents you are providing a disgusting service,” Dean stated in her Instagram Story, voicing her concerns about the exorbitant resale prices. “The prices at which you’re allowing tickets to be re-sold is vile and completely against our wishes. Live music should be affordable and accessible and we need to find a new way of making that possible. BE BETTER.”
In response, Ticketmaster announced it would process partial refunds for fans who had overpaid and implement a resale cap at face value for Dean’s tour. Michael Rapino, CEO of Live Nation, acknowledged the situation, saying, “We share Olivia’s desire to keep live music accessible and ensure fans have the best access to affordable tickets. While we can’t require other marketplaces to honor artists’ resale preferences, we echo Olivia’s call to ‘do better’ and have taken steps to lead by example.”
Notably, AEG did not respond to Billboard’s request for comment following Dean’s November criticism.
Reflecting on the situation during her chat with King, Dean remarked, “It was unfair the way that the operation was running, and I just thought, ‘Let me have a go and see what I can do.’ And we did something, and Ticketmaster are gonna refund everybody their money that they paid, which is like $2 million or something.”
For her 2026 tour, Dean is set to perform at iconic venues, including Madison Square Garden in New York City and Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. This appearance follows her recent nomination for best new artist at the upcoming Grammy Awards.
