Fender expressed gratitude for the recognition, stating he was “completely lost for words” and continued on to thank Dean and their fans for their support. As a re-recording with Dean, the lyrics to the ‘People Watching’ single become even more emotionally captivating: “We were doing so well, but you were scared to be held / Took the easiest way out / I see the tears of a man too proud to reach for a hand / Well, let my love keep you safe now”.
This recognition has been a long time coming for both artists. Fender received his first guitar at age eight, and with the inspiration from rock legends including Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Buckley, and Bruce Springsteen, he began to pen his own songs. To support himself and his mother, he started working at the Low Lights Tavern pub, where he performed. It was there that he was discovered by music manager Owain Davies and became his client.
After a series of supporting acts, Fender stepped back from the spotlight to recover from a severe issue: a compromised immune system. When he came back with a fresh perspective and new songwriting capabilities, he released ‘Play God’ in 2017. After being signed by Polydor Records, the ‘Dead Boys’ EP was released, and Fender received his first BRIT Award. From there, a meteoric rise from ‘Hypersonic Missiles’ to ‘Seventeen Going Under’ solidified him as a household name, and a prominent musician going into his next era with ‘People Watching’ in 2025.
For Dean, she knew she wanted to be a singer from a very early age, and never ceased to commit to that goal since. Attending the renowned BRIT School and beginning on the piano, she began writing songs. Many street performances prepared her for her graduation concert, where she was discovered by Emily Braham, who got her an audition with Rudimental as a backing vocalist.
In 2018, her debut single ‘Reason to Stay’ was eventually streamed millions of times. She signed a recording contract and released the EP ‘OK Love You Bye’ in 2019. She gained more exposure with her following EP’s ‘What Am I Gonna Do On Sundays?’ and ‘Growth’ amongst live performances. With her 2023 debut album ‘Messy’, she achieved further accolades including a Mercury Prize nomination.
Her 2025 breakthrough with ‘The Art of Loving’ is the result of a decade of work and dedication to her music, similar to Fender’s success with ‘Seventeen Going Under’. With Dean supporting Fender’s People Watching Tour for select dates, their collaboration on ‘Rein Me In’ and subsequent performances rose to the top.
It was the perfect culmination of decades of work between the two, committing to their craft through all issues and potential discouragements that came along. Their success mirrors their own ambitions, and their steady fame indicates a future of continuous success. And who knows, perhaps ‘Rein Me In’ is their first out of many collaborations between the two. And if the triumph of this track is any indication, Olivia Dean and Sam Fender are well on their way to breaking more records.
Molly Beairsto
Image: India Fleming