"Great Expectation" is a song by British singer Sienna Spiro, released on 3 July 2026 as the fourth single from her debut album, Visitor, which was released on the same day. She wrote it with the song's producer Omer Fedi and Michael Pollack. "Great Expectation" peaked at the top of the UK singles chart and impacted US pop radio stations on 29 September 2026 as the second US single from the album Visitor.
Background and composition Sienna Spiro stated that the song was inspired by a time when she was living in New York and waiting for someone who kept saying they would visit her but never did. Every morning, she would expect him to be waiting outside her apartment and, when he did not come, walk down the street imagining what the interaction could have been. In the song, Spiro vividly describes the imagined encounter over tumbling piano, bright percussion and background harmonies, admitting she prefers the idealized version of the man in her daydream to the real person.
Critical reception Reviewing Visitor for Rolling Stone, Larisha Paul described "Great Expectation" as a standout, considering it the album's best example of Spiro delivering an emotionally intense vocal performance and driving a song with feelings of anger, sadness, and cynicism. In a less positive review, Shaad D'Souza of The Guardian considered Spiro's lyrical focus on pursuing an ex as "exhausting" on the song, unlike some other songs such as "Die on This Hill".
Live performances Sienna Spiro performed the song on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on 14 July 2026.
Charts + Chart performance for "Great Expectation" Chart (2026) Peakposition Australia (ARIA) 13 Canada (Canadian Hot 100) 38 Croatia International Airplay (Top lista) 32 Global 200 (Billboard) 24 Greece International (IFPI) 56 Iceland (Billboard) 3 Italy Airplay (EarOne) 35 Israel (Mako Hitlist) 30 Lebanon (Lebanese Top 20) 2 Malaysia (IFPI) [Select 2026 Week 39] 2 Malaysia International (RIM) 1 Malta Airplay (Radiomonitor) 6 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) 4 North Macedonia Airplay (Radiomonitor) 1 Norway (IFPI Norge) 2 Portugal (AFP) 76 San Marino Airplay (SMRTV Top 50) 34 US Billboard Hot 100 39
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