Mark and Judy opted to visit the hotspot off-season and could be seen enjoying a leisurely stroll through the main strip “days before the tourists arrive”, but the destination could face a struggle this summer
Mark and Judy took a stroll through the main strip ‘days before the tourists arrive’(Image: Gypsy Souls/YouTube
)
Two sun-seeking Brits who visited a holiday hotspot facing a decline in tourism have remarked that they’d “return in an instant”. Mark and Judy were recently blown away by the peaceful, crowd-free scenes greeting them in the eastern Cypriot resort town of Protaras.
Protaras is known for its crystalline waters, breathtaking beaches and booming nightlife, being just a short, 17-minute drive from the premier European party capital of Ayia Napa. Mark and Judy opted to visit the hotspot off-season and could be seen enjoying a leisurely stroll through the main strip “days before the tourists arrive”.
In a recent vlog for their YouTube channel, Gypsy Souls, they kicked off proceedings by mentioning that local businesses were starting to “open up for the season”, with Mark remarking that they were “coming out of hibernation”. Setting off in search of a drink to beat the heat, the pair departed from their location near a fountain and a prominent Protaras sign.
Judy gave viewers a lay of the land, pointing out Easter egg statues and highlighting the nearby Capo Bay Hotel and the route to the stunning Fig Tree beach. As they made their way down the street, Judy noted that the businesses in sight were “quite closed”, but they detected the welcoming aroma of food and heard “tunes thumping”.
Hotel bookings to the country have fallen 40% after the recent conflict in Iran, but the couple said the emptiness they witnessed was simply down to it being off-peak.
Judy went on to explain that their viewers had recommended some bars to them. But, seemingly highlighting a downside to off-season travel, Judy sadly pointed out that some weren’t yet open. Not to be disheartened, though, she noted that some still were, specifically the Greenery.
Once they reached the end of the road, Mark and Judy turned around and headed back, drawing the viewers’ attention to more closed businesses on the other side of the street. Judy said: “We’re hoping that by the time we go, some of these will start to open. So, as we come into the end of our time here, hopefully, they should all start to open, and you’ll be able to see the transformations.”
Mark and Judy eventually found their way to the Greenery, where Mark enjoyed a pint and they shared a kebab and chips. Summing up their off-season experience, they told the Mirror: “We had a wonderful holiday and would return in an instant.” As Cyprus prepares for the looming holiday season, however, reports indicate that many tourists will be avoiding the Mediterranean island this year.
Hotel bookings are reportedly down by 40% as US and Israeli-led military action in Iran continues. As part of the so-called Operation Epic Fury, the two countries launched a bombing campaign against the Middle Eastern nation on February 28, with the conflict still ongoing.
In response, Iran launched widespread retaliatory strikes on its Gulf neighbours and blocked passage through the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping lane for 20 per cent of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG). Earlier this month, a pro-Iranian militia launched a drone attack on RAF Akrotiri, a British base in Cyprus.
AirDNA figures show that cancellation rates for short-term rentals in Cyprus surged from about 15% before the conflict to as much as 100 per cent in the days after the war began. According to the Daily Mail, about a third of Cyprus’ tourists are British travellers, with four million international visitors travelling to the island in 2025 in total.
Chris Webber, head of holidays and deals at TravelSupermarket, told the outlet: ‘When global events change holiday plans, we tend to see travellers pivot quickly. The Caribbean is a natural beneficiary. What’s striking here isn’t just the overall jump in searches, but how broadly that interest is spread. Destinations like Turks and Caicos and Tobago aren’t typically where British holidaymakers look first, so to see them surging suggests people are still keen to try somewhere new.”
An Airbnb stay in someone’s garage doesn’t exactly sound like the height of luxury, but one British lad put it to the test and couldn’t believe what he saw when the shutter went up
Karl Grafton and Julie Delahaye Travel Editor & Commercial Content Lead
16:31, 30 Mar 2026Updated 16:35, 30 Mar 2026
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(Image: Jam Press/@zacjonesliverpool)
If you tell someone you’ve booked a stay on Airbnb, most people will picture a pretty cottage or cosy flat. However for one UK holidaymaker, he actually booked out someone’s garage for an overnight stay.
Reviewer Zac Jones shared a video of his experience on TikTok, which has since garnered around 2.8million views, after he checked in for a stay at a garage in Bradford.
In the short clip Zac arrives for an evening check-in, standing outside the garage shutters. He phones up the owner who appears to open the shutter remotely. Instead of a grimy garage – which you’d rightfully expect to see – the shutters reveal a brick wall and front door.
Once inside, it turns out that Zac may have lucked out with what could be one of Britain’s plushest garages. He summed up his reaction in two words: “Pleasantly surprised”.
Instead of a car, storage boxes or a general mess that you’d find in most people’s homes, this garage has been decked out with modern flooring, and comes complete with a bed, bathroom with shower and toilet, a sofa, TV and even a fridge and microwave as reported by creatorzine.com.
Zac added: “Someone has put a lot of effort in. It’s got snacks, and tea and coffee-making facilities. Shout out to the owner of this place. This has been one of my most interesting check-ins in a while.”
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As for keeping warm? The room appears to have all the modern comforts you’d need, including a radiator that Zac said was already on, with an extra plug-in radiator for those who might want extra warmth.
The garage in Bradford, West Yorkshire is available for £30 for a night. In the comments, overall people were fairly impressed with the offering. One person said: “For the price, it actually looks good.”
Another viewer added: “30 quid! “I’ve stayed in worse for 100.” A third agreed, describing the property as a “bargain”. However, a few pointed out that the garage doesn’t have windows which would leave them feeling a little closed in, with some questioning the planning permission that would have been obtained to build the room in the first place.
Of course if you are thinking of a stay in Bradford, there are plenty of other Airbnb stays you can book which are entire homes, and not a room in a garage. For a similar price to the £30-a-night garage stay, you can also find hotel rooms from £38 a night with Skyscanner.
Have you got a quirky stay or holiday story you want to share? Email us at webtravel@reachplc.com.
SPANISH sun and a sense of calm was what I was expecting to greet me at Lanzarote Airport – instead I spend the first three hours of my holiday queuing to get out of the arrivals hall.
Because thousands of travellers like myself were stuck in huge queues, thanks to the new EES system – and with Easter and summer season on the way, I can see it getting worse.
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I had to queue in the arrivals hall at Lanzarote Airport for three hoursThe huge queue led to the EES registration point
My Jet2 flight landed at half past one on a Thursday afternoon in early March and I didn’t get out until just after half past four.
The queues stretched along the corridor and zigzagged all the way through the arrivals hall that took passengers to EES registration.
I’d already signed up to EES, having visited Lithuania a few months ago – but that was no use at all.
There was no separate queue for – or any staff for that matter – advising those who have registered to head straight to the passport e-gates.
While this was frustrating, what was even more so was that only half of the EES machines were actually working.
When I finally made it to my bus transfer, even the Jet2Holidays rep said she’d ‘never seen delays this bad’.
While Lanzarote has had a bad rep for lengthy queues in recent weeks, they are by no means the only ones.
The Sun travel team has been to various airports across Europe since the start of 2026 and many of them have had much longer queues than usual.
Like in Lanzarote, in some places only half the EES machines are working.
In other destinations, all of the machines are switched off until around midday. So it’ s pure luck as to whether you’ll even get to sign up.
Thanks to its winter sun offering, Lanzarote is one of the first airports to really show what an issue the new system could be for Brits this summer – when millions of visitors arrive for their annual holidays across Europe.
Lanzarote Airport has been subject to ‘bottlenecking’ which is a term used when there are too many flights at once and it causes congestion in the airport.
It’s no surprise really, Lanzarote is a small island with a small airport.
Around 100 planes land at the airport each day and over one million British tourists visit Lanzarote each year, with more heading there over the Easter and summer holidays.
Looking at planned flights on flightradar24 for Thursday 19 March 2026, there are almost 40 from the UK alone, with just under 100 flights in total scheduled for the day.
Between 2pm and 3pm there are 10 flights due from the UK.
Two from Glasgow arrive at the same time, and others are within five and ten-minute intervals.
Delays in the airport in the Canary Islands will be worse during peak summer holidaysCredit: AlamyScheduled Lanzarote flights for Thursday 19 March see 10 arriving within one hourCredit: Flightradar24
With the queues in Lanzarote reportedly reaching four hours, I’ve seen parents fearing travel chaos for their upcoming holiday.
One mum even started a forum on Mumsnet with the subject ‘Lanzarote airport actual chaos or exaggerated drama’.
In the comments, one recent visitor described the airport as a ‘madhouse’.
Another, who went on holiday around the same time as me, described it as an “absolute nightmare” and has even cancelled their booking in April as a result.
The lengthy wait times are likely to crop up at other European destinations too because of the new EES requirement.
Delays have been reported at airports like Brussels, Lisbon and Prague, and officials have even called for the EES to be delayed until after the summer holidays.
As for Lanzarote, if you want to make the most of your arrival on the island, then I’d suggest booking an earlier flight so you’ll still have the afternoon to explore.
Otherwise all there is to do is line up and wait patiently.
Head of Sun Travel Lisa Minot reveals how EES will impact travellers during school holidays…
The impending deadline requiring all EU countries to be processing all passengers using the new Entry Exit System (EES) is looming and as Easter approaches we could see chaos across the continent.
We’ve seen significant disruption already as UK holidaymakers are caught up in hours-long queues to provide their details and unless the right staffing is in place, things could get much worse.
Speaking to the former boss of easyJet last year, he warned me airports could become overwhelmed and airlines may be forced to keep passengers on planes on arrival – throwing tight flight schedules into chaos.
The issue as far as I am concerned is the lack of joined up thinking and common systems. Every airport in every country I have travelled through since the system was launched has a different way of channelling passengers through the passport checking process.
At Rome last week, the kiosk I was directed to successfully took my biometric picture but seemed incapable of processing my fingerprints and I was directed to a customs agent for a traditional stamp.
Returning from Barcelona, no kiosks were in operation at all and we simply went through an e-Gate with no fingerprints checked and again, were directed to an agent for a stamp.
Bigger airports with the resources to invest in the costly equipment are probably going to be easy to travel through.
Whether that will be the same for smaller, regional airports that already struggle to cope with large crowds in busy periods remains to be seen.
Airlines and airports are lobbying the EU to allow the rules to be relaxed should large crowds start to build.
That seems imminently sensible to me as from may recent experiences, the system is not yet up and running efficiently – Head of Sun Travel, Lisa Minot
The 900ft Arctic Metagaz, a charred Russian ghost tanker, has drifted dangerously close to Malta, an archipelago in the central Mediterranean known for its history and culture
23:17, 16 Mar 2026Updated 23:19, 16 Mar 2026
The carrier is adrift between Malta and Lampedusa(Image: Newsbook Malta/AFP via Getty Ima)
Malta — a popular holiday hotspot — is said to be under threat of a “major ecological disaster”.
A charred Russian ghost tanker is believed to be around 50 nautical miles southwest of the island, and is drifting crewless towards the archipelago. The vessel was blitzed two weeks ago by Ukranian drones and has since, the hole-ridden 900ft Arctic Metagaz has moved towards Malta.
And now multiple European countries have warned an ecological threat is imminent. In a letter to the European Commission, seven nations said the “precarious condition of the vessel, combined with the nature of its specialised cargo” posed a “serious risk”. These countries have described the situation as a “dual challenge” – upholding maritime safety and preventing an ecological disaster against the background of EU sanctions imposed on.
Russia claimed that Ukraine used “uncrewed sea drones” to target the Metagaz in the Mediterranean Sea between Libya and Malta. The Security Service of Ukraine has not responded to the accusation.
According to Russia, the attack took place on March 4 and was launched from the Libyan coast. The vessel had previously been sanctioned by the United States and the European Union for being part of Moscow’s so-called “shadow fleet.”
Composed largely of ageing tankers, the fleet moves Russian oil and gas worldwide while bypassing Western restrictions. Authorities in Malta and Italy have been closely monitoring the wreck amid concerns about potential pollution. Rome said the vessel was carrying “significant quantities of gas, heavy oil, and diesel fuel.”
WWF Italy warned in a statement: “A potential spill could cause fires, cryogenic clouds lethal to marine life, and widespread and long-lasting pollution of water and the atmosphere.”
It added: “The affected area is of exceptional ecological value, with fragile deep-sea ecosystems and some of the highest biodiversity in the Mediterranean basin.”
Salvage experts are already in Malta in preparation for the ship’s arrival in Maltese waters, while a specialist vessel is on its way, a maritime source told AFP on Sunday.
Initial reports indicated that the ship sank after explosions sparked a fire on board. Libyan authorities said the tanker went down about 130 nautical miles north of the port of Sirte. Around 30 Russians were on board the Arctic Metagaz, according to Russia’s transport ministry. They were all found “safe and sound in a lifeboat” by Malta’s armed forces, Maltese Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri said.
However, Malta’s transport authority said last week that the wreck was still afloat. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation acknowledged that the vessel was drifting in the Mediterranean and said Russia’s further involvement in resolving the situation would depend on “concrete circumstances”. It added that efforts to address the situation — including surveillance, monitoring and other technical support — could risk “undermining the integrity, effectiveness and the deterrent value of the EU sanctions regime”.
Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the ship had no crew and was carrying 700 metric tons of various types of fuel along with “a substantial amount of natural gas”.
“The international legal norms applicable to the current situation imply the responsibility of coastal countries … for resolving the situation with the drifting vessel and preventing an environmental disaster,” Zakharova wrote.
“Further involvement by the shipowner and Russia as the flag state will depend on the specific circumstances.”
AN unexpected Brit name has been thrown into the ring to play the next James Bond.
Bookmaker Coral has announced the surprising news about who is currently in the lead to scoop the iconic role.
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Daniel Craig’s role as the MI5 agent is up for grabsCredit: RexBack To Black star Jack O’Connell is the current frontrunnerCredit: Alamy
It has been revealed that Jack O’Connell’s name is flying high after seeing support rise over the last 48 hours.
The SAS: Rogue Heroes star is a big contender to jump into James Bond‘s boots with odds to 8-1 (from 33-1).
“Jack O’Connell’s next James Bond odds have collapsed over the last couple of days, with the British actor now just single figures in our betting for the iconic role,” said Coral’s John Hill.
The new movie will be written by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Steven Knight – who was behind iconic TV show Peaky Blinders.
The 28 Years Later actor has come a long way since his days in the Skins cast.
O’Connell has played a variety of roles since he starred in the TV teen drama as James Cook from 2009 to 2010 – and for the show’s final season in 2013.
Ever since Daniel Craig said goodbye to the role in 2021 release No Time To Die, the role of super spy 007 has been up for grabs, with speculation rife over who should take over.
Coral stated the odds: 4-5 Callum Turner, 3-1 Aaron Taylor-Johnson, 3-1 Theo James, 6-1 Henry Cavill, 8-1 Jack O’Connell, 10-1 Anthony Boyle, 12-1 Harris Dickinson, 16-1 Jack Lowden, 16-1 James Norton.
Jack as James Cook in E4s Skins from 2009-2010Credit: E4Jack starred in movie SAS: Rogue HeroesCredit: BBCCould Callum Turner be the next 007?Credit: AlamyJacob Elordi of Wuthering Heights fame is a favouriteCredit: AlamyPeaky Blinders boss Steven Knight will be behind the movie and has worked with JackCredit: Getty
Who will be the next James Bond?
Names in the mix to play 007 include:
Tom Holland
Fans have come up with a theory that Hollywood producer Amy Pascal – who has worked with Tom for years – could be involved in casting the new 007 film.
Henry Cavill
After playing legend Superman, Henry Cavill is now being tipped to be the next James Bond.
The former superhero would step into the role with ease.
James Nelson-Joyce
The actor first impressed audiences with his acting skills when he starred in Little Boy Blue alongside the legendary Stephen Graham.
After the release of his new flick, Jacob is now said to hold high odds.
Callum Turner
The London-born star was top of the list and has previously dodged questions on whether he’d take on the role.
Harris Dickinson
The newcomer actor’s stock has risen greatly over the past few years with appearances in Where The Crawdads Sing and steamy flick Babygirl, opposite Nicole Kidman.
Harry Poulton, who moved to the Alicante region from the UK, visited the Duke of Wellington pub and Ray’s Chippy in Benidorm to find out if they serve the best fish and chips in the city
Alan Johnson Social News Reporter and Alan Johnson
15:45, 10 Mar 2026Updated 15:45, 10 Mar 2026
A Brit living in Benidorm has delivered his verdict on fish and chips in the Spanish resort (stock)(Image: JOSE JORDAN/AFP via Getty Images)
A Brit living in Benidorm has voiced his astonishment at the cost of fish and chips in the popular holiday spot after popping into a takeaway in the Spanish tourism hotspot. Harry Poulton, who provides travel tips and insights into the Alicante region, paid a visit to the Duke of Wellington pub in the Costa Blanca resort, which also houses Ray’s Chippy.
“I’m here to find out if this really is the best fish and chips in the whole of Benidorm,” he kicked off in a TikTok video. Settling down, Harry chose cod and chips, served with a pot of curry sauce and a can of Coca-Cola to wash it down.
Once his meal arrived, he complimented the waitress, saying it looked “absolutely amazing” before tucking in.
Sprinkling salt on the chips and dunking one in the curry sauce, Harry expressed his delight: “Oh, proper chip shop fries. It’s really nice. You can’t beat a chip shop fry, can you?”
Turning his attention to the fish, meanwhile, Harry, who selected the smaller option from the menu, described it as looking “gorgeous” before taking a bite.
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“That is amazing,” he proclaimed. “Super crunchy – the batter is really nice and it’s proper fresh. Really, really tasty – it’s absolutely gorgeous.”
Harry headed to the till to pay the bill afterwards which, at €13.50 (£11.69), he hailed as an “absolute bargain”.
On TripAdvisor, The Duke of Wellington and Ray’s Chippy boasts a rating of 3.8 out of five based on 289 reviews.
Reacting to Harry’s post, one TikTok user commented: “Great place, we go every time we are in Benidorm.”
A second visitor praised: “Very good when we both went. 10/10 Good prices too.”
While a third recommended: “You should try Gwen’s Bar in La Cala on a Friday tea time. Their fish and chips are unbelievable.”
Harry also offered guidance to Brits heading to Benidorm while the Cheltenham Festival is taking place back home. The annual horse racing spectacular is being held at Cheltenham Racecourse from today (March 10) through to Friday.
“It’s a little bit cloudy here at the moment,” Harry cautioned those planning to watch the races while abroad. “It’s quite cold as well – currently just 13 degrees and it looks there is more rain and wind on the way.”
He concluded by urging those travelling to the Costa Blanca this week to pack jumpers and jackets alongside summer clothing. “You know what Benidorm is like,” he remarked. “Cloudy one minute, but blue skies the next. It’s good to be prepared.”
Four hours before Sienna Spiro is due to launch her first U.S. headlining tour, the 20-year-old singer and songwriter from London sits upstairs in the Troubadour’s empty balcony, peering down as several crew members wheel a grand piano onstage.
“The fact that I’m 11-and-a-half hours from home and that this room is gonna be filled with people that have never met me and that I’ve never seen before — that’s just crazy,” she says. “I’m kind of scared.”
The song that brought Spiro to West Hollywood this past Tuesday is “Die on This Hill,” a showstopping pop-soul ballad about staying in a toxic relationship — “I’ll take my pride, stand here for you,” she sings, “I’m not blind, just seeing it through” — that’s been streamed more than 300 million times on YouTube and Spotify since it came out in October. Built around tolling piano chords and Spiro’s titanic vocal, the song hit No. 9 in the U.K. and broke into the Top 20 of Billboard’s Hot 100; last month, Spiro — whose famous admirers include SZA, Mark Ronson and Alex Warren — was nominated for the Critics’ Choice prize at England’s annual BRIT Awards.
With its unabashed emotion and its throwback feel, “Die on This Hill” can be heard as the latest in a long line of melodramatic ballads by young Brits such as Amy Winehouse, Duffy, Lewis Capaldi and Olivia Dean, the last of whom was just named best new artist at the Grammys. Yet Spiro’s voice stands out: Rich and pulpy, with a crack she knows how to deploy for maximum heartbreak, it might be the most impressive instrument to come out of England since Adele emerged nearly two decades ago.
“Sienna is a true artist with the voice of a generation,” says Sam Smith, one more English singer (and former best new artist winner) with a flair for ugly-cry theatrics. Late last year, Smith, who identifies as nonbinary, invited Spiro to join them onstage in New York for a performance of Smith’s song “Lay Me Down.” Spiro, Smith recalls, “blew the room away” — one reason they brought her out again Wednesday night at San Francisco’s Castro Theatre, this time to sing “Die on This Hill” together.
Says Smith of the younger artist: “The world is at her feet.”
At the Troubadour, where she’ll follow Tuesday’s sold-out concert with an encore appearance Friday night, Spiro describes singing as a life calling. “I’ve known what I wanted to do since — honestly, since I’ve been a conscious human being,” she says. Dressed in a black-and-white-striped turtleneck, she has her legs folded beneath her on a wooden bench; her dark hair hangs loose around her face, yet to be styled into the ’60s-inspired do she’ll wear come showtime.
“I always felt a bit invisible,” she adds, whether at school with friends or at home as a middle child. “Not in a victimized way. But I always struggled with that existentialism. Music is the only thing that’s made me feel real.”
Are we to believe that one of pop’s bright new stars was once … kind of a bummer?
“In my own way, yeah,” she says with a laugh. “It’s OK. It happened. Character building.”
Spiro grew up privileged in London, one of four children of Glenn Spiro, a prominent jeweler who counts Jay-Z as a client and pal. Her dad turned her onto Frank Sinatra and Nina Simone and the Italian film “Profumo di donna” when she was little; by age 10 she’d written her first song (“Lady in the Mirror,” it was called) and played her first gig (at a pub not far from Heathrow Airport).
At 16 she enrolled at East London Arts and Music, a performing arts academy she describes as “the up-and-coming version” of London’s prestigious BRIT School, whose alumni include Adele and Winehouse. Her academic career didn’t last long, though: On her first day of classes she posted a TikTok of herself covering Finneas’ song “Break My Heart Again” that triggered a wave of interest from various record-industry types; soon she dropped out and began regularly traveling to Los Angeles to work on music.
Today Spiro says she has a “love-hate relationship” with the town where she estimates she spends half her time. “I’m very English, and I think something about English people is our honesty — you don’t really have to guess what people are saying. What was shocking to me when I came here was that people didn’t say what they meant.
“I was very, very lonely, and it was hard to make music when you feel that,” she adds. “I make sad music, but it’s hard to be a teenager and be away from your family and your friends and be in a place where you kind of have to play pretend being an adult.”
Did suffering among the two-faced liars of L.A. ever lead her to question her commitment to music?
“No. It just made me question how I was doing it. And not everyone’s a two-faced liar. There are some good ones out there.”
Was she ever at risk of becoming a two-faced liar herself?
“Oh, I’m too English for that,” she says. “If I did that, I’d get a slap.”
Sienna Spiro performs this week at the Troubadour in West Hollywood.
(Ariana Drehsler / For The Times)
Spiro started releasing singles in 2024 and quickly signed a deal with Capitol Records; last year she opened for Teddy Swims on the road and turned heads with “You Stole the Show,” a luxuriously gloomy slow jam with echoes of Adele’s “Skyfall.”
For “Die on This Hill,” which she wrote with Michael Pollack and Omer Fedi (both of whom went on to produce the song with Blake Slatkin), Spiro wanted to capture the feeling of “when you go above and beyond just to feel something reciprocated back from someone,” she says. But if the writing came quickly, the recording didn’t: Spiro jokes that she cut “900 different versions” of the song, including one she says sounded like Silk Sonic and another that sounded like Lauryn Hill.
“I was desperate for something up-tempo,” she says, given that virtually everything she’d dropped so far had been a ballad. Yet Fedi pushed her to cut the tune live with just her on vocals and Pollack on piano. They did four takes, according to the producer, one of which forms the basis of the record that eventually came out.
“Very old-school, very human,” Fedi says of the process. “Maybe I’m corny but with Sienna, less is really more. Her voice is so special, so big and upfront, that you just want to put a giant flashlight on it and let it shine.”
In early January, Spiro gave a bravura performance of “Die on This Hill” on Jimmy Fallon’s late-night show; one clip on TikTok has been viewed more than 70 million times. For that appearance, she wore a retro mini dress printed with an old photo of Johnny Carson behind his desk; for a recent performance in the BBC’s Live Lounge, she wore a different dress showing the faces of the four Beatles.
On stage at the Troubadour, her dress features images of the Chateau Marmont and the Capitol Records tower — a bit of setup, she says, for her next single, “The Visitor,” which is due March 13. Spiro has been slowly assembling her debut album for the past two years, but with headlining concerts to play, she’s reaching back for some of her oldies from 2024.
Some, not all.
“To be real with you, some of my early stuff wasn’t the most authentic,” she says as her drummer starts thwacking a snare during sound check . “I was trying to be someone else because I really wasn’t comfortable with myself.”
Can she point to an example?
“‘Back to Blonde,’” she says, referring to a vaguely Lana Del Rey-ish number about a woman who dyes her hair after killing a no-good lover. “I put it out for all the wrong reasons. It was a mistake — an inauthentic move that I regret making.”
What were the wrong reasons?
“It’s a long story, and it’s not very interesting. I didn’t do it because I loved the song — that’s what I’ll say. But at the end of the day it’s my name and I have to stand by it.”
Which is why she’s taking her time on the LP. Some artists her age don’t care much about the album format but Spiro is a true believer. Among her faves: Sinatra’s “In the Wee Small Hours,” Stevie Wonder’s “Songs in the Key of Life,” Adele’s “21” — “a perfect album,” she says — and Billie Eilish’s “Hit Me Hard and Soft.”
“I love an album where you don’t ever question why a song’s on there,” she says. “Where everything feels intentional.”
She doesn’t want to divulge too much about the work in progress. “The problem with me is I have a huge mouth and I give everything away,” she says, which — hey, great.
“No, I know it is for you,” she adds with a laugh. “But not for me, because then when I actually want to do the big reveal, I’ve got nothing because I’ve said it all.”
She will allow one detail: “It won’t be 12 ballads, I’ll tell you that.” She looks toward the ceiling, jiggling her head slightly, as though she’s doing some mental math regarding the track list.
“I mean, there’s a lot of ballads,” she says. “I just love a ballad — I can’t help it.”