Tori Amos expands the narrative of her forthcoming album In Times Of Dragons with the release of new single Gasoline Girls ahead of the record’s May 1 release.
by Paul Cashmere
Tori Amos has released a new single, Gasoline Girls, the latest preview of her forthcoming studio album In Times Of Dragons, scheduled for release on May 1 through Universal/Fontana. The track continues the unfolding narrative behind the new project, an allegorical work that introduces a cast of characters across a fictional journey through the United States.
Gasoline Girls follows the previously released songs Stronger Together and Shush, adding another chapter to the story that Amos has constructed around the album’s central character. Within the narrative framework of In Times Of Dragons, the protagonist, a fictionalised version of Amos, is attempting to escape a powerful and dangerous billionaire husband. Along the way she encounters the Gasoline Girls, a rebellious collective who help her continue the journey.
The new song introduces the group as a Lesbian motorcycle gang who unite in solidarity. Within the album’s fictional landscape they represent visibility, collective strength and resistance. Their arrival in the story marks a turning point where the protagonist begins to gather allies in the struggle against the forces pursuing her.
Amos described the song as a reflection on transformation and identity.
“This is a metaphor for many different transformations, from a teenage girl becoming a woman, to shifts in gender identity or fundamental belief systems, to the life changes that come with pregnancy, motherhood and eventually menopause,” Amos said. “The song explores the emotions that come with leaving one version of yourself behind and stepping into another.”
The track sits within the broader conceptual structure of In Times Of Dragons, which Amos has framed as a metaphorical story about the tension between democracy and authoritarian power. The album introduces multiple characters as the central figure moves across the American landscape, gradually transforming into the “dragon” she needs to become in order to confront the forces chasing her.
The album will be Amos’s eighteenth studio release and continues a career that has now stretched across more than three decades. Since emerging as a solo artist in the early 1990s, Amos has developed one of the most distinctive catalogues in contemporary music. Her work has drawn on themes including gender politics, religion, mythology and personal trauma while maintaining a strong foundation in piano-led songwriting.
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Before achieving solo success, Amos fronted the late-1980s band Y Kant Tori Read. Her breakthrough arrived with the 1992 album Little Earthquakes, which introduced songs such as Silent All These Years and Crucify and established her reputation for emotionally direct songwriting built around piano arrangements. Follow-up releases including Under The Pink, Boys For Pele, and From The Choirgirl Hotel expanded her sound and thematic scope.
Over the course of her career Amos has sold more than 12 million albums worldwide and received nine Grammy nominations. Her catalogue includes widely recognised songs such as Cornflake Girl, Caught A Lite Sneeze, Professional Widow, Spark, 1000 Oceans, Flavor and A Sorta Fairytale.
Her background as a classically trained pianist has shaped much of her music. Amos entered the preparatory division of the Peabody Institute at just five years old, making her one of the youngest students admitted to the program. After leaving the institute at age eleven, she developed her craft performing in piano bars around Washington, D.C., often accompanied by her father who was a Methodist minister.
The concept-driven approach behind In Times Of Dragons continues a creative path Amos has returned to regularly throughout her career. Albums including Strange Little Girls, Scarlet’s Walk, and American Doll Posse also built extended narratives across their tracklists, often blending personal stories with broader cultural commentary.
Beyond her recording work, Amos has maintained a strong reputation as a touring artist. Since her first world tour in 1992 she has performed more than a thousand concerts, with shows known for frequently changing set lists and spontaneous interpretations of songs.
The release of In Times Of Dragons will be accompanied by Amos’s most extensive tour in more than a decade. The run will include performances across the United Kingdom, Europe and the United States during 2026, including a return to London’s Royal Albert Hall.
For long-time listeners, the new single signals another chapter in a catalogue that has consistently explored identity, power and storytelling through song. For the wider music landscape, the project reflects a continuing trend of artists building narrative-driven albums that operate almost like cinematic worlds rather than simple collections of songs.
With Gasoline Girls now available on streaming platforms and the album’s release date approaching, Amos’s next phase is beginning to take shape as the broader story of In Times Of Dragons unfolds.
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