The voice everyone is talking about: Sienna Spiro
Written by Francesca O’Callaghan
Following her breakthrough single ‘Die On This Hill’, which went Top 10 in the UK and Top 20 in the US, the British singer known for her powerful contralto voice has gained mass interest, and described by Variety magazine as “one of the greatest voices of her generation”. Her viral song consists of a raw, almost haunting tone which combines the vulnerabilities of sacrificing oneself for love and refusing to let go with a weight of resilience.
Sienna Spiro | Credit: Capitol Records
Spiro is appealing because, while having a strong voice, she has shyness and kindness that lights up every room she enters. It was evident from Spiro's song ‘Introductions’ that she is inspired to write songs about more than only love, but also about some profound struggles. Her latest big single, ‘The Visitor’, one of my personal favourites, is described by Spiro as being affected by the ending of friendships more than feeling insecure in a love relationship. This is what makes this song so relatable to many people, fear of loneliness, abandonment and the concept that you need to earn your place in someone's life rather than being welcomed with open arms.
It's refreshing to hear from a 20-year-old musician that she didn't spend her entire teenage years being romantically oppressed, as it reflects the reality for many young people who prioritise self-love or creative ambition. As well as this, she is able to convert all of her emotions about intimate relationships and her doubts about the future into music.
For years to come, people will be examining her vocal range and style; raspy tones and a "mixed belt". It is evident that she devotes sufficient time singing in the comfort of her low range "chest heavy" style that it's thrilling every time she goes up and out of it. This is especially clear in ‘Die on This Hill,’ a song that will probably, once she begins her Visitors Tour in 2026/2027, be the big end to the show, because of the bridge in the second half, which nearly makes you gasp for air when you attempt, in a more out of tune version, to follow along in the shower or in the car.
Just over a year ago, she released her first EP, Sink Now, Swim Later, with eight tracks as Spiro was focused on creating "timeless" music rather than building a "moment". She has stated that she wants to strive for durability and "realness" rather than falling into the "trap" of producing brief, low-effort music.
Spiro’s success highlights how UK female artists are some of the best musicians out there, like Olivia Dean, Adele Lily Allen, Dua Lipa and Raye. After hearing Spiro, it's difficult to believe that someone else is poised to win the Grammy for Best New Artist in early 2027, as Dean recently did. Now that is a show that she is ready to steal.