By Alexandra Pullen
Photo Credit: The BRIT Awards
Sam Fender and Olivia Dean have broken the record for the most non-consecutive weeks at number one on the UK singles chart with their hit duet Rein Me In. The song has dominated in every sense since its release last June, whether that be on the airwaves, social media or in people’s earphones.
The song has just hit its 19th week at the top of the UK singles chart, with the previous record of 18 weeks dating back to Frankie Laine’s 1953 song I Believe. It is an incredible feat for the pair, with Fender taking to Instagram, award in hand, stating he is “Completely lost for words”, before thanking Olivia Dean and his fans for “making this song the juggernaut that it is”.
“We broke the UK record. LEGENDS.”
Rein Me In is the perfect example of a song which makes people feel something. The euphoric saxophone solo towards the end of the song prompts instant nostalgia, and if Fender’s version didn’t already offer relatability, Dean’s involvement adds a soulful touch transforming the song into a dual narrative.
“…I wanted to have Olivia Dean on a song, and gave her the album and she picked Rein Me In. And, very cleverly, turned it into a dual narrative, made it appeal to a lot more people than it originally did…”, Fender shared when on Track Star. It’s true that many have taken different meanings from the tune, with its use online primarily exploring themes of freedom, self-expression and spontaneity.
“I let go of everything I ever had/’Cause I couldn’t give the love you deserved”, begins the Geordie singer in this tale which, in his own words, acts as “the musings of a narcissist”. Dean enters on the second verse, offering the perfect light to Fender’s shade, “You’re so afraid of that heart inside of your chest/We were doing so well, but you were scared to be held/Took the easiest way out”.
Fender and Dean have both had an incredible couple of years in their individual careers, with Fender’s critically-acclaimed album People Watching – which features Rein Me In – winning the Mercury Prize, and Dean winning the Grammy Award for Best New Artist, as well as taking home four BRIT Awards.
At the ceremony at Manchester’s Co-op Live back in February, the duo won Song of the Year for Rein Me In, with Fender saying in their acceptance speech: “I love this song, I wrote it about four years ago and I loved it then and Olivia made it her own so I just want to say thank you to Olivia and thank you to the fans.”
Text Copyright 2026 © Alexandra Pullen/ADRENALINE Magazine.
Photography Copyright and Credit © recognised within the article.
Kyle Horne 
Esme Campbell