Baby Steps

Album

Art of Loving, the

Label

Capitol Records

Genre

Rhythm & Blues

Composer(s)

Bastian Langebæk;Max Wolfgang;Olivia Dean

Entered Chart

Jan 10, 2026

Peak Date

Jan 17, 2026

"Baby Steps" is Olivia Dean's soft, soul-stirred sigh about healing after a breakup. It's about the slow, slightly clumsy process of learning to stand up again, one tender, trembling step at a time. One lyric struck a chord with TikTokkers: Now there's no one to text when the plane lands Or to call when it's taking off Dean's simple observation about missing small moments of connection became an anthem for Gen Z loneliness at a time when people are lonelier than ever. Thousands of users set their own footage to the line, soundtracking their travels or reflections on going it alone. "Baby Steps" is the 10th of 12 tracks from Dean's second album, The Art of Loving. The album takes its title and inspiration from bell hooks' book All About Love, which Dean studied while creating the record. The album treats love as a skill, something you can study and eventually master. Across the record, Dean maps out love's full topography: the soft glow of new connection ("Nice To Each Other"), the shimmer of infatuation ("So Easy (To Fall In Love)"), the growing storms of miscommunication ("Loud"), and, finally, the quiet return to self that "Baby Steps" represents. Olivia Dean wrote the song with Bastian Langebæk and Max Wolfgang, with Langebæk also serving as producer. Bastian Langebæk is a songwriter and producer from Copenhagen who splits his time between his native Denmark and London. Langebæk has been a frequent collaborator on Dean's music, including on "Dive" and "It Isn't Perfect But It Might Be." His other work includes Jess Glynne's "All I Am" and Birdy's "Little Blue." Max Wolfgang (real name Max McElligott) began his career as the frontman of the British alternative rock band Wolf Gang, which released two critically acclaimed major-label albums. After Wolf Gang split in 2015, he transitioned into a songwriter-producer. Wolfgang's breakthrough as a songwriter came with co-writing "Lay It All On Me" by Rudimental featuring Ed Sheeran. He later co-penned Sam Ryder's "Space Man" (with Amy Wadge), which finished second on Eurovision 2022. Like Langebæk, Wolfgang has been a core creative partner for Dean, co-writing seven of The Art of Loving tracks.

Mm
Mm

It's funny in the rearview
You're closer than you are
In truth, we're worlds apart
I'm used to being near you
When I'm down to ten percent
And you'd plug me straight back in
Now there's no one to text when the plane lands
Or to call when it's taking off
Right, left, baby steps
I'll be my own pair of safe hands
It's not the end, it's the making of
Right, left, for now

I'm taking ba-ba-ba-baby steps
Ba-ba-ba-baby steps, mm
Ba-ba-ba-baby steps
Ba-ba-ba-baby steps

It's learning how to balance
If I'm out on Friday night, it'll be me turnin' off them lights

When I come home (home)
But I'll manage (I'll manage, I'll manage)
There'll be roses on the shelf
'Cause this house gon' love itself
Yeah, this house gon' love itself

I'm taking ba-ba-ba-baby steps (one foot at a time)
Ba-ba-ba-baby steps (I don't wanna step foot into my eye)
Ba-ba-ba-baby steps (ain't no reason why)
Ba-ba-ba-baby steps

Mm
Mm
I won't fall back (mm)
If I fall forwards (mm)
Least I have that (mm)
At least I have that

I'm taking ba-ba-ba-baby steps
Ba-ba-ba-baby steps, (ain't no, ain't no reason why) mm
Ba-ba-ba-baby steps, (no reason why) mm
Ba-ba-ba-baby steps


Ba-ba-ba-baby steps (yeah, yeah)
Ba-ba-ba-baby steps (ba-ba-ba-baby steps)
Ba-ba-ba-baby steps (ba-ba-ba-baby)
Ba-ba-ba-baby steps