Dean opens the album with the titular track, “The Art of Loving (Intro).” In the song, she lays down the thematic foundation for the rest of the album: navigating love and the self-realization that accompanies it. “It’s the art of loving / It wasn’t all for nothing, yeah, you taught me something,” Dean sings. “If you knew me at all, you wouldn’t try to keep me small / Who would do that to a friend, let alone the one you love?” Dean sings. While The Art of Loving reads like a standard breakup album, it is far from the typical, mournful heartbreak record. The themes of love and heartbreak have penetrated pop music for years, and often feel predictable or cliche—with Dean, yearning sounds different.