‘I’m still in this crazy whirlwind of it all’: Olivia Dean speaks to the BBCpublished at 19:23 BST
19:23 BST
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Olivia Dean with her shortlist trophy on tonight’s red carpet
“It feels quite surreal,” nominee Olivia Dean tells the BBC’s Mark Savage, as she arrives back on the Mercury Prize red carpet two years after she was shortlisted for her debut album Messy.
Her second album has already taken her to greater heights, winning album of the year at the Brits and Mobo awards, leaving Dean on the cusp of securing a hat-trick tonight.
How has she processed this success?
“I feel like I’m still in this crazy whirlwind of it all,” she admits. “Maybe when I take a break over Christmas I’ll reflect on the sofa then.”
Dean also played her part in the success of last year’s Mercury Prize winner Sam Fender; she contributed a verse on the Geordie’s smash-hit single Rein Me In, which became the longest-running number one single of all time in July.
“They just sound like crazy words that my brain can’t really understand,” she laughs when confronted with her achievement.
“I’m just really proud that this music has connected and lasted since the album came out, and that people are still enjoying it.”
And, though no stranger to success, Dean tells the BBC: “We’re having fun, I’m happy to be here.”