A Little Old-School, a Lot of Modern

Over the past few months, we couldn’t help but notice three distinguished voices being constantly grouped together. Those voices are Olivia Dean, Sienna Spiro, and RAYE. These lovely ladies are bringing vintage influences into today’s pop music. Fun fact: They’re all from the UK. Their sounds and aesthetics stand out in today’s charts, bringing back soul influences that haven’t been as prominent in mainstream pop for a while. They each have a classic image and produce musical ballads that the industry has been lacking for some time.

OLIVIA DEAN: A MODERN TAKE ON SOUL

Olivia Dean has a stage presence that is hard to ignore, something that was especially apparent during her performance when seeing her live this past August. Her vintage glamour attire is what was most noticeable. Dean’s outfit reminds many of 1950s party attire, a sparkly fringe dress that cascaded beautifully down to her signature heels. Her image and aesthetics perfectly complement her music. Her jazz-inspired songs like “Let Alone the One You Love” and “A Couple Minutes” create a warm, almost nostalgic feeling. There is something effortlessly timeless about Dean’s sound, yet her music never feels stuck in the past. She brings classic soul influences into a modern pop landscape, pairing emotional storytelling with a style that feels entirely her own. Dean proves that vintage glamour does not have to be a thing of the past; it can be just captivating on a modern stage.

RAYE: JAZZ, ORCHESTRAS, AND BIG VOCALS

RAYE isn’t a new name in the music industry. Since she was 17, RAYE has been making a name for herself and has contributed to some of the most recognizable songs of the mid-to-late 2010s, including “You Don’t Know Me” and “By Your Side.” Her earlier sound leaned more toward R&B and dance-pop, but in recent years, she has embraced a more jazz- and soul-influenced style, both musically and aesthetically. Bringing orchestral performances and soulful ballads to the stage, RAYE has earned major recognition for her artistry, including in 2025 when she was nominated for three Grammy Awards, including Best New Artist and Songwriter of the Year, Non-Classical. Some of her most notable songs include “Oscar Winning Tears,” “Escapism,” and “WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!” Her evolving sound is also reflected in her fashion choices. RAYE frequently wears classic vintage tailoring, structured gowns, opera gloves, and silk pieces. Whether she’s sporting a voluminous Old Hollywood blowout or a textured red bob, RAYE is always dressed to the nines.

SIENNA SPIRO: AN OLD SOUL IN A NEW ERA

Sienna Spiro is one of the newest voices to add to this list. You probably know Spiro best from July 2025, when she released “You Stole the Show,” her first big hit. From listening to her past and present music, you can instantly hear how she has been influenced by artists like Frank Sinatra, Etta James, Ella Fitzgerald, and Amy Winehouse, and to whom Spiro is often compared. In many of Spiro’s songs, like “Die on This Hill,” you can hear the rasp in her voice, which delivers raw, human emotion. Not only does she present this old-school sound in her music, but she also reflects it in her image, most notably through her hair and makeup. Her high-volume bouffant hairstyles and 1960s-inspired eye makeup, inspired by Jackie Kennedy’s signature look, emphasize her vintage aesthetic. Spiro truly has the old soul in the modern era to look down to a T.

WE’VE HEARD THIS SOUND BEFORE

This trend isn’t entirely new. We’ve seen similar sounds and aesthetics in artists like Amy Winehouse, Adele, and Meghan Trainor during the early 2010s. Although each artist has her own distinct style, they all seem to draw inspiration from the same musical roots, reinterpreting them for different eras. Amy leaned into retro soul, Adele brought bluesy ballads and powerhouse vocals to the forefront, and Meghan embraced doo-wop-inspired pop. Today, Olivia Dean, RAYE, and Sienna Spiro are carrying that influence forward, each putting her own modern spin on the sounds of the past.

A CLASSIC SOUND WITH A MODERN FUTURE

The rise of these artists says a lot about where music is headed. While the industry is constantly introducing new sounds and trends, there is still an audience for music that feels timeless. Artists like Olivia Dean, RAYE, and Sienna Spiro show that listeners want to hear the past reimagined in a way that feels fresh and relevant today. Vintage influences aren’t disappearing from pop music; they’re evolving with it.