Dean Lewis

Biography

Dean Lewis Grant Loaney, known professionally as Dean Lewis, is an Australian singer and songwriter. He is best known for his 2016 single "Waves×Waves30 September 2016 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Waves4:01", which has been certified seven times platinum in Australia, his 2022 single "How Do I Say Goodbye×How Do I Say Goodbye31 August 2022 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1How Do I Say Goodbye2:442How Do I Say Goodbye (acoustic)2:453How Do I Say Goodbye (Chuksie remix)3:13", which achieved worldwide popularity on social media and has been certified Gold or Platinum in ten countries, and his 2018 single "Be Alright×Be Alright29 June 2018 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Be Alright3:16", which reached number one in Australia and was certified Platinum within four weeks of release, eventually reaching 11 times platinum in Australia and multi-platinum worldwide, including double platinum in the United States.
Lewis has released three studio albums: A Place We Knew×A Place We Knew22 March 2019 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Hold of Me3:2327 Minutes3:313A Place We Knew3:264Stay Awake3:065Waves4:006Be Alright3:167Chemicals3:428Straight Back Down3:259Time to Go3:1010Don't Hold Me3:0011For the Last Time3:1612Half a Man2:59 (2019), The Hardest Love×The Hardest Love28 October 2022 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Small Disasters3:192Looks Like Me3:113The Hardest Love4:044Hurtless3:005All for You3:456How Do I Say Goodbye2:447Scares Me3:028Something to Help2:399Into the Breeze2:4610To Have You Today2:42 (2022), and The Epilogue×The Epilogue18 October 2024 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Empire3:052All I Ever Wanted3:103Rest3:134All Your Lies3:135I Still Do3:066Cold2:527Memories3:008Trust Me Mate2:599Love of My Life3:0310Until the End3:0511Clélia's Song3:1412The Last Bit of Us3:21 (2024). In 2025, he was accused of sexual misconduct and his label, Universal Music, parted ways with him.

Esports

Lewis competed in esports, representing Australia in Halo 2 at the World Cyber Games 2005 in Singapore.

2016–2017: Career beginnings and Same Kind of Different

Lewis was inspired to pursue music after watching a live Oasis DVD in 2005, and "spent the next five years watching every Oasis video – Noel Gallagher basically taught me how to write songs."
Lewis signed his recording contract with Specific Music in 2014, and a major contract with Island Records and Universal Music Australia in March 2016. Lewis released his debut single "Waves×Waves30 September 2016 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Waves4:01" on 30 September 2016 which peaked at number 12 on the Australian ARIA Charts. The song was featured in a number of American television shows such as Suits, Grey's Anatomy, Valor, Riverdale, All American, Shadowhunters: The Mortal Instruments and Magnum P.I.. The song has since been certified 7× Platinum by ARIA.
Lewis released "Need You Now×Need You Now7 April 2017 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Need You Now3:32" in April 2017 and his debut extended play Same Kind of Different on 12 May 2017 which peaked at number 27 on the ARIA Album Charts. Lewis received five ARIA Award nominations at the ARIA Music Awards of 2017. "Lose My Mind" and "Chemicals" were also released as singles from the EP and have been certified Platinum and Gold respectively.

2018–2020: A Place We Knew and collaborations

In June 2018, Lewis released "Be Alright×Be Alright29 June 2018 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Be Alright3:16". The single reached number one in Australia for five consecutive weeks, becoming his first chart-topper in the country, and has been certified eight times platinum in Australia. It also reached number one in Belgium, top five in New Zealand, Sweden and Ireland, top 10 in the Netherlands and Switzerland, top 20 in the United Kingdom and Scotland, top 30 in the United States and number one in the Billboard Adult pop chart. In January 2019, Lewis released "7 Minutes×7 Minutes18 January 2019 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track17 Minutes3:31". Lewis released his debut studio album A Place We Knew×A Place We Knew22 March 2019 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Hold of Me3:2327 Minutes3:313A Place We Knew3:264Stay Awake3:065Waves4:006Be Alright3:167Chemicals3:428Straight Back Down3:259Time to Go3:1010Don't Hold Me3:0011For the Last Time3:1612Half a Man2:59 on 22 March 2019. Lewis performed "Be Alright" and "Waves×Waves30 September 2016 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Waves4:01" at the 2019 AFL Grand Final. In 2019, Lewis signed with WME for representation in all areas.
Lewis released a single in collaboration with Dutch DJ/producer Martin Garrix on 31 October 2019 called "Used to Love". Regarding the collaboration with Garrix, Lewis explains that "Since my career began, collaborations never felt like something I saw myself pursuing. As a songwriter, who also sings, the entire concept just felt foreign. Until I met Martin. We spent about a week together locked behind closed doors in Amsterdam working on a song, which thought might end up be sung by someone else. But as the track progressed is started to sound a lot like me, but also very Martin. It's a real collaboration with a guy who's now become a great friend". An acoustic version of the song was released in 2020.

2022–present: The Hardest Love and The Epilogue

On 5 March 2021, Lewis released the single "Falling Up×Falling Up5 March 2021 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Falling Up3:26". Lewis stated the song is about "being online and focusing on that one negative comment in a sea of good".
On 22 October 2021, Lewis released "Looks Like Me×Looks Like Me21 October 2021 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Looks Like Me3:11", which was inspired by a personal relationship where an ex was "hanging" with a guy that she said looked like Lewis. This was followed by "Hurtless×Hurtless31 March 2022 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Hurtless (acoustic)3:062Hurtless3:00" on 1 April 2022. On 2 September 2022, he released the single "How Do I Say Goodbye×How Do I Say Goodbye31 August 2022 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1How Do I Say Goodbye2:442How Do I Say Goodbye (acoustic)2:453How Do I Say Goodbye (Chuksie remix)3:13".
In 2024, Lewis opened several shows for AJR on their tour for The Maybe Man (2023). In June 2024, Lewis announced his third studio album The Epilogue×The Epilogue18 October 2024 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Empire3:052All I Ever Wanted3:103Rest3:134All Your Lies3:135I Still Do3:066Cold2:527Memories3:008Trust Me Mate2:599Love of My Life3:0310Until the End3:0511Clélia's Song3:1412The Last Bit of Us3:21, released in October 2024, alongside Australian tour dates.
At the end of 2025, it was confirmed that Lewis and Universal Music had parted ways.

Misconduct allegations

In October 2025, Lewis was the subject of various sexual misconduct allegations on social media. He responded to the allegations on Instagram, admitting wrongdoing but refuting any claims of illegal behaviour. This was paired with an announcement of a hiatus, and a promise to pursue therapy.
In November 2025, his award nominations for the 2025 ARIA Awards for Song of the Year and the 2025 TikTok Awards for Music Artist of the Year were withdrawn.
In late March 2026, Evie Smith, whose October 2025 TikTok video had contributed to the spread of allegations, posted a public apology on TikTok acknowledging that she had made serious claims without properly checking them. In a statement responding to the apology, Lewis said the situation had significantly damaged his reputation, career and personal life, and asked supporters not to direct abuse toward Smith.
Also in March 2026, the Amsterdam District Court dismissed Lewis's application for an injunction against Dutch woman Sanne van Ooijen, finding that because she had not named Lewis in her posts it could not be established that the allegations referred to him; Lewis was ordered to pay her legal costs of €1,707. A spokesperson for Lewis disputed the basis of the ruling.

ARIA Music Awards

The ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of Australian music. Lewis has won three awards from 16 nominations.

APRA Awards

The APRA Awards are held in Australia and New Zealand by the Australasian Performing Right Association to recognise songwriting skills, sales and airplay performance by its members annually. Lewis has won seven awards.

MTV Europe Music Awards

The MTV Europe Music Awards is an award presented by Viacom International Media Networks to honour artists and music in pop culture.

National Live Music Awards

The National Live Music Awards (NLMAs) are a broad recognition of Australia's diverse live industry, celebrating the success of the Australian live scene. The awards commenced in 2016.

Rolling Stone Australia Awards

The Rolling Stone Australia Awards are awarded annually in January or February by the Australian edition of Rolling Stone magazine for outstanding contributions to popular culture in the previous year.