Review: Sienna Spiro proves she’s the next ‘it’ girl in Lincoln Hall showcase

After Adele performed at Martyrs’ nearly 18 years ago (yes, she actually played Martyrs’), it was hard to believe that anyone could ever come close to producing that once-in-a-lifetime, you-had-to-be-there feeling. Then Sienna Spiro played Lincoln Hall on Monday night and did it all over again.

The similarities between the two nights are pretty uncanny. Both were positioned as early showcases for old-soul divas from the U.K. on their first-ever tours of the U.S. Both featured singers just 20 years old who belted out songs about love from the deepest depths of the heart. And both did so in incredibly intimate rooms that felt like time capsules — from the moment the show began, you knew you’d never see them in this environment again.

The one big difference is that Spiro (whose name rhymes with pyro) doesn’t even have a full album out yet. That made it a struggle to fill the brief 43-minute set, which ended before the clock even struck nine, though she made every minute count.

“This has gone by so quickly, I feel like I rushed through these,” she remarked before wrapping up the night with her latest gangbuster hit, “Die On This Hill.” In January, Spiro performed the track on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon;” the video has since racked up 2 million views and counting on YouTube. Last week, Sam Smith brought her out to duet on the song at a show in San Francisco.

Smith is a big fan, tapping Spiro for some 2025 dates and hailing her “the voice of a generation” in a recent L.A. Times article. Judging by the turnout at Lincoln Hall on Monday night, it’s hard to question that claim. Spiro’s show — part of her newly launched The Visitor Tour — sold out months ago and was packed with young fans who already knew every lyric by heart. Many sang along, respectfully, of course, so everyone could still hear the singer’s breathy rasp, elongated high notes and perfect pitch as she ran through originals and a gripping cover of Etta James’ “I’d Rather Go Blind” that deserved applause from beyond the grave.

“I love you!” some fans exclaimed in the few quiet moments. “Take your time, please!” pleaded another when Spiro said she needed to catch her breath after digging deep into her register for the slinky “Maybe.” The ownership and protectiveness her early adopters have draped over Spiro is a good sign for the future as she continues to find her footing in a crowded playing field of third-wave retro pop stars. Inspired by Amy Winehouse, Duffy and Adele, she’s now dipping into the same waters as Lola Young, Raye, Olivia Dean and Teddy Swims (for whom she also recently opened).

Spiro dressed the throwback part in a metallic shift dress with a fur stole around her neck and a teased ‘60s bouffant hairstyle, but her carefully orchestrated music also elevates her beyond vintage tropes. With a combination of catchy beats and sheer elegance on numbers like “You Stole the Show” and “Time You and Me,” the material feels both contemporary and timeless at once, if not also cinematic. “Taxi Driver” could very well be the next James Bond theme song.

It’s obvious there’s a lot of care that Spiro puts into her artistry, a prime reason why she’s taking her time with the full-length album and has been entertaining an old-school-style rollout of new material instead.

“This is the blueprint for something I’ve been working on for about two years,” she said to introduce the new song “The Visitor,” which officially launches on Friday. “My whole life I’ve always felt like a visitor, I’ve felt impermanence and the fear of things leaving me. It’s been debilitating at moments,” she added. “It took me nine tries to write this song to articulate that feeling properly.” As Spiro performed it stripped back, her soaring voice accompanied by soft piano and a light drum touch from the same musicians that she’s worked with since she was 16, it was mission accomplished.

At just 20, she’s already been shortlisted for a BRIT Award and has climbed the Billboard and Spotify charts. In a few months, she’ll probably be on “Saturday Night Live” and is a shoo-in for a Best New Artist Grammy nominee next year. But as she walked away from the Lincoln Hall stage with nothing but a wave and forgoing an encore, she simply left everybody wanting more.

Sienna Spiro Set List March 9 at Lincoln Hall in Chicago

My House
Need Me
Taxi Driver
I’d Rather Go Blind (Etta James cover)
You Stole The Show
The Visitor
I Don’t Hate You
Time You & Me
Dream Police
Maybe
Die On This Hill