We’re not really sure how it’s possible, but Tori Amos seems a little stranger than usual.
Yeah, that’s a little like saying the Decemberists are more verbose than usual or Kanye West is more annoying than usual, but bear with us.
After a lengthy gap between albums, the notoriously quirky pianist has re-emerged from her magical pixiedust-filled ice-cream cave (or England, y’know, wherever she lives) to support her upcoming album, Abnormally Attracted to Sin.
That’s fine. Whatever. Still listening to Tori? Good for you. Heard she previewed some new tunes at SXSW. Sweet.
However, since the red-headed one’s new album isn’t out until May 19, we’re going to judge a book, er CD, by its cover.
Superficial? Sure is.
Anyway, we can’t help noticing how truly odd 45-year-old Amos looks in the wigged-out promo photos being circulated in connection with the new album. Seriously, she looks like she is made out of plastic… like the dead-eyed child of Paris Hilton and Chucky.
See it for yourself, here.
Ed C says...
04.6.09 1:11 am
Okay, I’ll be the first to admit that Tori Amos is indeed a bit uhm… spacey. But artists are spacey. They’re not like me and you and they don’t think like us and that’s what makes them artists. As for her face/hair, I think she looks fabulous. And the wig thing, well, that was part of her last tour. She played different characters on stage (again, think “artist” here) and the red wig was the one she wore when she “played” Tori. Think of her as mega-Tori. She was kind of an exaggerated version of herself. That and I can imagine that having other wigs on your head all the time would make it difficult to make your hair presentable during a costume change, so why not throw on another wig? Okay this is way too wordy.
Sam says...
04.23.09 5:26 pm
It’s called makeup and Photoshop. These are promotional photos after all. Besides, you’ve got at least one fact wrong. She did not have a lengthy gap between albums. Her last release was in 2007, and she even traveled to promote a book in 2008. In fact, I met Tori at a book signing last year, and I thought she looked like a well-kept 45 year-old (albeit one who loves her makeup and wigs!) and NOT a plastic queen. You’ll need more proof than a doctored album cover
Wayne says...
05.4.09 4:33 pm
Tori has had an obvious browlift, and eyelid surgery. She may have had rhinoplasty as well. Her face is entirely different now that it was even five years ago, and I lost interest in her when I realized she’s a big hypocrite who writes the same songs over and over again. She doesn’t look good, her music is boring and self-indulgent, but God bless her fans, man, God bless ‘em!
Karen added...
Thank goodness someone else noticed this!
I thought I was the only one.
Poor Tori, I thought she would grow old gracefully…
05.5.09 3:41 pm
Holly added...
Thanks Wayne and others who have helped me see the horrible reality of a popular singer who markets herself as a feminist, but is enslaved to a male dominated image of self. It’s a total disgrace that she has done this to herself dispite the fact that she has 1000s of fans who are dedicated to her,and who also have body image issues, not to mention her daughter, who will now have to live up to an unrealistic image of beauty created by a plastic surgeon. Shame on you, Tori. Yeah, you can sing, but can you think?
Holly
05.26.09 2:42 pm
aj says...
05.5.09 2:17 pm
Tori has definitely had work done- starting at The Beekeeper era. I do still enjoy her music, but not as much as before (it’s too much of a show).
As for the visualettes for Abnormally Attracted to Sin, they aren’t doing the album any good. Every time the camera gets a shot of her brow lift I can’t help but think to myself “why??”
I’d love to hear a more dressed down Tori- Something simple. She is a very talented individual and doesn’t need the extra bells and whistles to keep a good fan base.
Anthony says...
05.13.09 6:08 pm
Fairly obvious that this article and author - so called - is out to slam Tori Amos. She has always played with her look and if you step back from your cynicism, you can see the intention in her photos for a “doll-like” look. (Um, I think she knows about face shine. It’s not her first phot shoot.) Diss her all you want but don’t think she isn’t doing exactly what she planned. Makes the writer of this story look like a moron! LOL
Zax says...
05.21.09 2:13 pm
Tori’s definitely had work done without a shadow of a doubt. I would have preferred her to
grow old gracefully instead she choose to go down the abomination highway with the rest of
the celebrity freaks.
I guess it was inevitable.
Karen added...
I didn’t think it would be inevitable for HER!
I thought she was smarter than this hollywood peer pressure stuff…guess not.
05.27.09 3:06 am
Robin added...
I’ve been listening to Tori since 1992, and I would have never thought she would end up like this. Not that she isn’t beautiful anymore, cause she wasn’t butchered, but you cannot even recognize her sometimes, with that frozen forehead. I have nothing against plastic surgery, if it’s well done, and she does what she want, but I keep on asking myself “why?”, especially “why so soon??”, too when I look at her recent pictures and videos. It’s almost like looking at another person.
I really really hope she knows what she does.
05.30.09 10:40 am
Rinny says...
05.22.09 9:17 am
I’m glad somebody else said something about Tori’s face b/c I’ve been thinking she looks different. She’s definitely had work done which is a shame, she didn’t need it. What really bugs me is how her eyes look slanted upward and slightly asian. Regardless I am a huge fan and LOVE LOVE LOVE her music. I just hope she lays off the botox.
Karen added...
I’m just so glad that other people have noticed this too!
She was so unique before, now she’s a little scary…such a shame.
Hopefully she’ll come to her senses and stop!
05.27.09 3:05 am
Susan says...
05.24.09 11:18 am
I agree - Tori has gone too far with the plastic surgery. I first noticed it in the “Beekeeper” photos, but now it is worse than ever. I know photoshop is used in pictures, but even when she appeared on Leno recently, she seemed unable to make facial expressions. I try to separate her image from her music. Her music is always amazing.
JenniferM says...
05.28.09 5:23 pm
Karen,
Talk about superficial - have you met this woman? I have and she is very nice, and looks great. Sorry, but you are wrong.
Karen added...
Yes, this article is intentionally kind of shallow–just like unnecessary plastic surgery.
05.31.09 3:35 am
Daisy says...
06.1.09 8:45 pm
I understand Tori Amos fans that are in denial about the whole plastic surgery ordeal. Perhaps, at age 45, a woman’s eyebrows naturally cease to move with different facial expression. Along with the inability to open one’s mouth vertically during an interview. I’ll admit that she has aged more graceful than other women in her era (Madonna, etc), but I think she’s forgotten the simplicity that we all miss. Remember the bra-less red head with the 90’s jeans at her piano? That’s what attracted us to her. The only prop she used was a piano, no masks and strange English hotel room (AATS album cover). In the past five years, her songs have been repetitive (the composition itself, I realize one’s vocal capabilities change with age), the guitarist was switched out, and her outside image with her costumes have gotten more ridiculous. She’s very fortunate to have good live performances. This is the only thing that’s truly saving her ass. I say, “Tori Amos, take about 5 years, let your facelifts settle, and come out with an album that actually makes a statement musically; instead of constantly giving interpretations through interviews. We’ll wait.”
Karen added...
I agree, too many costumes (besides, with her new fake-face, she doesn’t really need all the costumes and wigs).
Get back to the music, Tori!
06.8.09 10:11 am
jennyg says...
06.7.09 7:48 am
Tori has admitted botox since 1998- when far fewer people were using it. In the florida DVD, you can see how she “overused” it- her entire forehead and eyebrows don’t move at all. It is common for people who do that to get a brow and eye lift since the lack of muscle tone makes the face “droop”, etc. I used to LOVE tori, but found that her music has degraded along with her face. Somewhere in that gigantic ego is still the incredibly talented woman that existed before, but now she’s more interested in fashion shows than music. It’s just such a damn shame.
Karen added...
“now she’s more interested in fashion shows than music”
Wow, I never thought I’d see the day when people said this kinda stuff about Tori!
Maybe all the Botox went to her brain?
I’m just surprised she’s so vain. She used to be proud to be unique.
06.8.09 10:03 am
Al says...
06.9.09 8:08 am
I can’t believe, after 17 years of being a fan, that I would ever say anything against Tori but I am so disturbed by what she has done to herself I can’t help myself. She has turned into a tight faced unrecognisable skinny robot. What is with the hideous wigs (after ADP anyway)? Why the Cruella DeVil make-up? Why so skinny? Every feminist or empowering or individualistic sentiment in her back catalogue is mocked by the decisions she has made about her appearance. For years I argued that, as a woman, she had the right to look how she pleases - which she does. However, I can’t keep pretending that she isn’t blatantly trying to conform to some peculiar notion of youth and beauty. I hope her face settles down and she leaves it alone. And eats a cake or two.
I was going to buy tickets to see her again this year but have decided against it. I just can’t spend the money and make the effort to travel to see what she has done to herself.
Karen added...
Maybe you could just buy tickets that are really far from the stage?
Just kidding.
I totally agree, it is sad and disappointing to see what she has done.
Makes her seem like a hypocrite, too.
06.9.09 9:03 am
Sean says...
06.19.09 1:12 am
This is one of those “touchy subjects” when talking to other Tori fans. My friend Marilyn brought it up to her avid tori fan-friend in New Tork and he threatened to end their friendship over her accusation of Tori’s move from lip gloss love to plastic surgery.
I first noticed Tori’s facial change in 2005 when she shot promo’s for The Beekeeper. At this time in her career it was a really subtle change, I’d assume botox was used to take away frown lines and what not. But by the time she release American Doll Posse in 2007, it was obvious that she’s doing more than recording during her time off from touring.
At the time of The Beekeeper in ‘05 Tori still looked like Tori, a younger Tori at that but still Tori. Now sadly she’s looking older with what appears to be a brow lift and nose job. It’s obvious in her DVD which accompanies her latest effort “Abnormally Attracted To Sin” (2009).
At the end of the day, it’s Tori’s choice and I don’t think it compromises her talent in song writing. Indeed her style has changed since ‘Venus’ (1999) and she’s gone for a seemingly lighter sound as is apparent with singles like “Sleeps with Butterflies” (2005) and “A Sorta Fairytale”(2002). But when I listen to the content on “Abnormally Attracted to Sin” I can definitely hear a trace of the darker Tori as tracks like the title track, Give, Strong Black Vine and Curtain Call all encompass a streak of classic moan and groan as best loved by Tori fans like myself who are seeking the nostalgia of yesterday in the current thread of Tori Amos’s career.
In the end, I do find it disappointing that Tori has obviously taken to the knife to “fix” what did not need fixing. When did Tori turn 40? - - 2003? she looked as striking as ever once was when I saw her that year in Eugene OR at the Cuthbert. My main issue with this change in facade is that at times I cannot take her seriously as I once so adamantly did. There is something about the way that she appears now that makes it hard not to compare her to what she used to look like. Tori is still attractive, she’ll never be ugly. . . she’s far from it. But with this new tightened face and pulled brow look she’s sporting, it’s hard to even see her adorable smile as she once had.
I say - do not judge her face ….
Judge the music.
And at the end of the day, if it’s the music that you no longer appreciate, then step away and remember the good times.
But just because the artist has decided to make changes for her self (I assume because she’s not spoken about it publicly) then I do not see a reason to close the door on what could be a beautiful future for her music.
Me added...
Thank you for saying everything i’ve thought about this whole insane controversy! i started to think how STUNNING she was looking as she got older as well…but it’s her life.
07.26.09 9:59 pm
Anni says...
06.19.09 11:39 am
Tori has always been a brave artist. I am disappointed that she felt the need to need to resort to cosmetic surgery, but will not punish her for being a less than brave woman.
Sarah says...
07.16.09 12:59 pm
Her obsession with Botox and plastic surgery shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone who has been a long-time fan. As I’ve watched her transformation, I’ve always heard, “Years go by, if I’m stripped of my beauty…” as well as the interviews where she would talk about all the girls in the ladies’ room whipping out their heavy artillery–their lip sticks. Tori was so unbelievably beautiful in her 20s and early 30s. It has to be hard to have the crow’s feet settle in. There’s a picture in her autobiography in which she’s hugging some of her band mates on the “Scarlet’s Walk” tour. The crow’s feet are VERY apparent. I see her as someone who is struggling to stay on top, and, as a woman in the music business, that means you have to be skinny and wrinkle-free. It explains her preoccupation with Britney Spears. Madonna went through a phase in which she did everything she could to associate with Britney–her VMA Like a Virgin/Hollywood performance (didn’t anyone notice that Christina Aguilera was there, also?), appearing in each other’s videos, and having Britney make cameos in her concerts. Madonna and Tori are behaving so similarly–plastic surgery, producing music with as contemporary element as possible (heavy on the electronica, having the top people as guests (Justin Timberlake, Damien Rice), the Britney thing,.. Madonna’s always had the amazing body thing going on, but Tori’s been looking emaciated for the last few tours, and in my opinion, that ages her some. She used to have such a great figure, with a little meat on her bones. On one hand, it bothers me that she talks so much about the image to which everywoman must adhere and then perpetuates the problem by giving into it. On the other hand, it may be too strong an external force against which she can fight and THAT is why it bothers her, because she can’t help but surrender
Karen added...
You’re right, Tori has looked unhealthily skinny lately, and that definitely contributes to making her look older.
(Although, really, she didn’t look that old anyway–she’s not that old, only in her mid-40s.)
Then again, maybe the lifetime of wild orange hair-dye should have tipped us off that she was a little more image-obsessed than her songs led listeners to believe?
07.16.09 1:18 pm
Sarah says...
07.16.09 1:01 pm
(continued) to it. Does it really, then, come from the outside entirely, or is some of it about the fear of aging that bombards us all?
Sarah says...
07.17.09 8:59 am
Karen, you’re right, she isn’t that old! In her mind (and in the music business mindset), she’s a senior citizen. Madonna’s body doesn’t age her because she’s so muscular, but Tori’s all skin and bones, so yeah, she looks older because of that.
Me added...
I’ve thought the same thing myself-that her thinness would make her face look older (To HER)-we are our own worst critics-she is human also-but after a point…at this point…i think she’s looking SO different, people are having a hard time swallowing that-and like you’ve said-about her saying what we must do as women & then her acting against it herself-does throw people off kilter (cant pretend it hasnt bothered me EVER) but…i cant understand the Britney Spears thing-i know of her comparing to her-but look how her life went & im sorry but i thought britney was hideous (Just my opinion-maybe she adored her idk)…it is a bit of a shame that she’s chosen this-but who for-us, the fans, does that really matter? Ultimately…no-thanks for your insight
07.26.09 10:06 pm
Vincent says...
07.23.09 9:56 am
As an another long-term Tori fan, I find all of this just heartbreaking. I used to love Tori and her music.. I still love her music, especially her early work.. but why on earth did she do this to herself?
micahmaranda says...
07.29.09 2:29 pm
Hasn’t she always told people to live their own lives, and quit getting their noses in others’ business? Who are we to judge someone who has given so many of us insight and strength when we were in desperate need? If you are slowly distancing yourself from her music, fine. But calling her a hypocrite? When has she ever spoken out against Botox or face work? Hasn’t she said that everyone is beautiful, no matter WHAT you do or who you are? That means, even if you get plastic surgery. Who gives a poop what she does to herself or what outfits she wants to wear. WHY do any of you care so much when she has loved all of her fans regardless how they look? Do you think she’s ever turned up her nose at someone who was fat, ugly, or had fake tits? Jeez, talk about hypocrites!!
Karen added...
That’s an interesting take on the situation.
However, I think that the reason some fans are disappointed is that she seemed to have a “love yourself,” “be comfortable in your own skin” kind of vibe,
but now she’s hacking herself to bits with bad surgery.
It’s just sort of sad that she’s so unhappy with herself.
07.29.09 2:32 pm
Sarah says...
07.31.09 10:00 am
Micahmaranda, I just hear the line from “Yes, Anastasia” every time I see her nowadays–”Girls, girls, what have we done? What have we done to ourselves?” Even to this day, Tori’s favorite interview and lyric subject is the big picture of what this world does to women. Yet, in her autobiography, she emphasized the importance of having her personal chef prepare only low-carb meals for her while she’s on tour. She’s taken that WAY too far, as there are numerous photographs of her in which she looks like a skeleton. Her words are a message of self-love; her appearance is a gross contradiction. She used to be such a powerhouse, and I miss that Tori. Now she’s a “Do as I say, not as I do” phoney who will clearly do anything she can to keep her fame from slipping away. There’s a very disturbing interview out there in which she relished in giving a catty tirade about Britney Spears and all her troubles, culminating in a nasty comment about the downfall of Britney’s career. Yet she’s here for the women? Then a few years later, Tori writes a sympathetic song for Britney and improvises yet another in a show–must have remembered that she had gone way off message about Britney. Tori needs therapy.
Karen added...
That lyric is a great example!
Doesn’t Tori have a young daughter now, too?
This probably isn’t a very positive message for her either…
07.31.09 2:11 pm
Sarah says...
07.31.09 10:04 am
Enjoy it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8HfH2D9JMI
Sarah says...
07.31.09 4:07 pm
I was thinking about Tash, too.
Daisy says...
07.31.09 4:53 pm
I’m surprised she took the chance with all of the work she’s had done. Barbra Steisand wouldn’t even get her nose done, because the surgery risked hurting her vocals. I know Tori’s range dropped due to hormones, but anyone else finding it annoying of her overall image? Her new take of “vowels” when she sings? Her less risk taking when recording the piano onto tracks? My opinion, she wore all those wigs to probably cover up work that she did to herself. She always had multiple personalities (figuratively speaking); anyone who’s scene the making of Pele´interview is aware of this. That’s what made her unique. Now, every interview is, “Well, being a minister’s daughter..” It’s getting ridiculous. I wonder if this obscured and over the top insecurity has anything to do with her dear friend Kayton (spelling) the guitarist leaving the band. She seemed to went down creatively, image wise, etc. She also has control over EVERYTHING. Her album, her sales, her comic book, her shirt sales, her concert, and now finally… Her age.
Face Keeper -American Doll Plastic- Abnormally Attracted to Judgement
Sarah says...
08.3.09 8:55 am
Daisy, the end of your message cracked my up!
I am a little dubious about hormones causing the drop in her vocal range. She talks about her love for marijuana often, and her latest thing to make herself sound cool in interviews is to talk about how recovered alcoholics and drug users cannot be part of her crew because she carries a wine cellar on her tour bus. Any professional or even dedicated amateur vocalist knows that alcohol and smoking are the worst enemies to a singer–such ignorance of good vocal hygiene! Not sayin’ she doesn’t have natural causes for the change, but if she’d lay off the sauce and the weed while on tour and recording, she’d probably notice that her voice would bounce back some.
heyjupiter says...
08.23.09 4:33 am
I heard somewhere that she had this disease that really deformed her face and affected her voice. If that’s true, and if surgery is necessary for someone who’s relying on these features for a living, you guys should be ashamed of yourselves.
Daisy added...
Hahaha, Hey Jupiter, 1) That is ridiculous. All of us are disappointed (and at first in denial) by these decisions, all of us being admirers. 2) If she had a disease like that, I’m fairly sure she wouldn’t be featuring an album every two years. There’s way more obvious signs through her lyrics, as well as her control power with her music and promos. 3) Learn to accept that without misery, most musicians don’t know how to handle a genre called “happy”.
08.24.09 12:28 pm
Melissa says...
10.31.09 9:54 pm
I think the most disappointing aspect of her appearance is how self-absorbed she comes across. I can’t speak for her intentions, obviously, but seeking plastic surgery and putting so much emphasis on herself in her latest round of videos in “Abnormally Attracted to Sin” just seems so far off from where she began. You rarely see her with her piano in any of the latest videos, or even singing for that matter, just close ups of her face and shots of her “costumes” (which are all very beautiful, don’t get me wrong, it just doesn’t speak towards that early feminist attitude that I admired so much). In the end, it’s her show . Unfortunately it all detracts from the message of her music for myself (and obviously a few others as well).
Casey says...
11.19.09 4:01 am
Ive been a Tori Amos fan for literally 15 years. I recently saw Tori on tour and it was incredible. Say what you will about the way she looks, she is an amazing performer, she puts so much into her music (even if the themes are slightly repetitive) and her stage presence is unmatched. Ive been to a lot of concerts, seen a lot of shows, and i have to say Tori Amos has been the best performer/artist hands down. Also this being a Solo tour, you get to really hear how beautiful her piano playing is and the real angelic quality of her voice.
I think its interesting that you people even care about plastic surgery? Who cares? Doesnt make her music any less powerful. Also she has never said ‘i will never get plastic surgery’.. so how does that make her a hypocrite? If you listen to the lyrics of a lot of her songs, you can tell she has struggled with feeling pretty and being accepted in a predominantly male world and/or fitting into the socially prescribed cardboard cutout of what ‘beauty’ is… but she hasnt said out-right she would ‘never’ change her image. People evolve.. which is something that she has shown in herself and her music.
Sadly, in this world today.. the way you look effects everyones perception of you (even if you are an incredible artist and musician).. especially being in the publics discriminating and overly analytical eye.
Karen says...
05.31.09 3:30 am
Yeah, the fact that she didn’t even NEED the surgery makes it even worse. She didn’t look old and tired before the plastic work, but now…
Robin says...
06.1.09 10:24 am
Well now she does look strange, indeed. Which is a shame for such a woman. Plus, her music tends to follow the path of her new image. :-((