Olivia Dean Falls Effortlessly in Love on “Touching Toes”


It’s all in the little things, they say, and in Olivia Dean’s new single “Touching Toes,” she delivers a tender love song about just that. Toeing the line between cliché and sincere, Dean strips back her loving feelings to their simplest form. 

The first verse details the flourishing of her romantic relationship, taking listeners through each stage. “He's over more and more/Had to give him a whole drawer/To be honest kinda like seeing his trainers by the door,” Dean sings—her voice tender. As with her full discography, her voice has a jazzy, melodic tone. The fusing of her velvety voice with her handpicked, loving words blend seamlessly. 

Quiet strings introduce the track gently, akin to her description of this newfound love. “And I feel love, like the real stuff/You don't know and then you know, that's how it goes,” she sings. Dean delicately portrays her own shift in her understanding of love: “I mean, what’s three words that wе’ve all heard…I’m understanding what they’re all about.” 


There’s a softness to her voice and lyricism, but as the song goes on, a choir-like force kicks in as the lyrics and instrumentals intensify. She begins to exclaim her love. It gets louder, more unabashed. She’s found comfort and liberation by the end of the song.

In clips online, she can’t hold back her smile as she sings “Touching Toes.” Her happiness radiates through her, enough so that her smile shines even through the heaviest sections of the production. 

Dean finished out the summer leg of her tour in August and will embark on the Australia/New Zealand shows in February of next year. Only time will tell if this radiating single will make the new setlist, but one thing’s for sure: Olivia Dean isn’t afraid to wear her heart on her sleeve. 


Related Articles

rommulas and 2hollis Bridge Avant-Garde Pop and Reggaeton in "left to right"

rommulas and 2hollis Bridge Avant-Garde Pop and Reggaeton in "left to right"

May 28, 2025 Weaving in and out of Spanish and English, "left to right" shapeshifts while maintaining its eccentric bite.
Author: Jazmin Kylene
pop
Prince Royce Talks Reviving the '90s in New 'Eterno' Cover Album [Q&A]

Prince Royce Talks Reviving the '90s in New 'Eterno' Cover Album [Q&A]

May 27, 2025 'Eterno' travels through several eras, classic by classic, reconceptualizing them with respect and grace.
Author: Jazmin Kylene
pop
R&B
Step Into Mollie Elizabeth's Time Machine in "Until We Meet Again"

Step Into Mollie Elizabeth's Time Machine in "Until We Meet Again"

May 25, 2025 Analogue, phone cords wrapped between your fingers, film cameras flashing... everything about Mollie Elizabeth harkens back to an era almost all of us weren’t alive to experience.
Author: DJ Connor
pop
50s