In her song “The Visitor,” artist Sienna Spiro opens up about her fear of impermanence and being temporary in relationships through her vulnerable lyrics and powerful instrumentation. 

In her interview on the Zach Sang Show, Spiro shares how the term “visitor” is a perspective rather than a feeling, as she uses it to describe herself in her past relationship. Through this song, she reveals her inner struggle with understanding the fragility of relationships and their potential temporariness. She describes how she used to avoid relationships to spare encountering pain, a particular fear that is often less acknowledged, but still felt by many. Spiro now emphasizes how flawed this mentality is, as she has learned to allow experiences to remain important while not trying to make them permanent.

“Say you won’t forget me, but you always do

Then say that you love me, say I’m all you need

In the back of my mind, I know I’m temporary

You’re holding me for the night

For some pleasure if that’s all we are

Know I’ll always be a visitor…”

Throughout her song, Spiro maintains an emotional heaviness and communicates her passionate distress through her chorus, strings, and belting. Her vocals shift from restrained to powerful, reflecting her growing emotional vulnerability. She seems to be communicating a message to one specific person; however, Spiro touches listeners by expressing feelings that many struggle with in relationships. Through her evocative lyrics, she paints the familiar feeling of navigating through the urge for affection while knowing that it is absent in a current relationship. This touches upon an anxious attachment style, where she fears abandonment and relies on reassurance. 

When experiencing this overwhelming conflict of emotions, it is easy to sink into a spiral of perplexity. You crave affection, and yet it is absent. You want to stay, but you know you should leave. And so, you become a visitor. You watch, you analyze, and you bask in the impermanence. Spiro has straightened this spiral and put into words what is often solely identified as confusion, drawing many to her music.

Spiro further relates to her audience when she says: “It’s in my nature to be cynical.” While her entire song is a passionate display of honesty, the open admittance of her lack of trust is admirable given that this is often deemed to be unfavourable in relationships. Past experiences, attachment, fear, prior beliefs—all of these can lead to this cynical perspective. Yet, this acknowledgement can be beneficial, as it allows you to recognize this challenge, communicate it and work through it with your partner.

For Spiro, “The Visitor” is a reflective song that emanates her exploration of what it means to be a visitor to somebody. To me, it is a piece that verbalizes the pain of recognizing the end of a relationship and where you stand in a connection in a beautifully described and authentic manner. 

Listen to “The Visitor” here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Wq1iDyEjF8

Contributing Writer: Ava Primiani

Feature Image Credit: Photo by Tony Frost on Unsplash