Things Lady Gaga loves: her fans, her super-cute boyfriend Michael Polanski and, of course, her tattoos. As far as fans know, Gaga’s tattoo collection includes 24 (!!) unique designs, although she hasn’t made a public debut since getting a giant spine tattoo in February 2019, so she may well have some secret tattoos that people don’t know about. know about. Like, she It has have House of Gucci tribute somewhere on her body, right? Luckily for us, she was very generous in showing off the two dozen tattoos she has in her (public) collection, so we know all the fun stories behind them.
Gaga’s massive net worth has been channeled into many worthwhile causes over the years, and of course, she’s invested some of her hard-earned cash into some tattoos. Her ink includes four sweet greetings to family members, four adorable greetings to her fans, and plenty of ink celebrating her favorite heroes, colleagues, and friends… and (maybe) an ex or two. From the dainty back tattoo she got with a fake ID at 17 (which she later regretted 😅) to the massive shoulder she once considered her favorite, we’ve compiled all of Lady Gaga’s tattoos and their meanings for your viewing pleasure.
She’ll likely continue to add to her collection (IMO, she could really use a cute little Chromatica Oreo tattoo), but until then, here’s everything we know about her two dozen pieces of art.
Her cherub tattoo
Let’s start with a tattoo you guys didn’t even know you had. Back in 2012, during the launch of her Fame fragrance at the Guggenheim Museum, Gaga got this cherub on the back of her head in front of thousands of fans, because why not? Tattoo artist Mark Mahoney later said that the Renaissance angel was chosen as “an homage to her Italian heritage.”
Her monster paw tattoo
Because Gaga loves her fans so much, she developed a giant “monster paw” on the left side of her back while visiting Hamburg in 2014. Gaga later revealed that it was her favorite tattoo to date during a Reddit AMA. “This is the Monster Paw, the symbol of my fans as they have held their paws high in the crowd every night since we became a community,” she told a fan who asked about her favorite tattoo. “I cherish the meaning, loyalty, devotion and strength that we share. I wanted it to be imprinted on me forever.”
Her “Mother Monster” tattoo
Gaga also has “Mother Monster” with lace detail tattooed on her ribcage, which she got done in 2014. She got this tattoo back in Manchester, but decided to fly to Los Angeles tattoo artist Eric Gonzalez (who also gave her the tattoo). monster’s paw) to do the honor.
Her tattoo features a quote from Rainer Maria Rilke and the words “December 18, 1974.”
Let’s return to Rilke’s quote. While in Japan in 2009, Gaga heard a quote from Rilke. Letters to a young poet written on the inside of her left arm in curled German script. Like she said InterviewThe quote translates as follows: “In the deepest hour of the night, admit to yourself that you would die if you were forbidden to write. And look deep into your heart, where it takes root, and get the answer, and ask yourself, should I write?”
But wait, there’s more! If you look very closely, you can see the date “12/18/1974” written in the middle of Gaga’s quote about Rilke. This date is dedicated to her aunt, Joan Stefani Germanotta, who died of lupus on this day at the age of 19 (and is apparently the same aunt who inspired Gaga’s work). Joanna album).
Her “dad” tattoo
While we’re on the subject of Gaga’s father, let’s talk about the heart tattoo on her shoulder. Back in 2009, Gaga wrote the word “Daddy” on her heart as a tribute to her dad Joe Germanotta after he underwent life-saving open-heart surgery. Leather!!
Her “House” tattoo
Three years after receiving this mouse, Gaga updated it in 2016 by adding the word “Haus” above it. Reason: To celebrate the 10th anniversary of Haus of Gaga (the team that has helped bring her signature looks to life over the years). It is also the namesake of her beauty brand Haus Labs.
Her “Tokyo Love” tattoo
In addition to the “Haus” tattoos, Gaga and her team also have tattoos that read “Toyko Love.” Gaga got hers on her left shoulder after collaborating with Japanese photographer Nobuyoshi Araki on a bondage-themed photo shoot in 2009. As she explained Interview“I am honored to be the first American woman he photographed and the second pop artist in Björk’s company. He captioned the Polaroids “Tokyo Love” and House got tattoos of him to celebrate.”
Her daisy tattoo
Right under her “Tokyo Love” tattoo: a bunch of three daisies, something like…to yawn, Honestly. Gaga never talked about the meaning of daisies, so let’s move on!
Tattoo of her sexual assault victim symbol
Next to the daisies and under her daddy’s heart, Gaga has a symbol that looks like a burning rose. She received it in 2015 after co-writing the song “Til It Happens to You” for the 2015 documentary. Hunting grounds, and the symbol was actually designed by Jackie Lyn, one of the sexual assault victims who joined Gaga on stage at the Oscars. About two dozen survivors got the symbol tattooed on their bodies ahead of the Oscars, and Gaga joined them in a show of solidarity.
Her David Bowie tattoo
Below that anchor, Gaga has a portrait of David Bowie that she took just a month after his death in 2016 (and just a day before she performed a Bowie tribute at the 2016 Grammys). “This image changed my life,” she wrote on Snapchat, referring to Bowie’s image. Aladdin Sane album covers.
Her unicorn tattoo
Long before you get it Joanna tattoo, Gaga celebrated her second album, Born this way, with a unicorn on her left hip and the lyrics to her song “Born This Way”. During a radio interview with Big Top 40 showGaga said the tattoo was inspired by her childhood love of My Little Ponies. “I was obsessed with the idea of a creature who was born with something magical that made him an underdog in the world of stallions,” she said.
Her “ARTPOP” tattoo
Gaga also has an ode to her fourth album: ARTPOPon her wrist – and, in fact, it was thanks to the tattoo that she revealed the title of the album. She debuted the tattoo on Instagram in 2012, reading “New Ink New Album.”
Her trumpet tattoo
Gaga told rolling stone Back in 2011, she made an agreement with her father: she would only get tattoos on the left side of her body. But she broke this agreement in 2014, when she drew a pipe on the inside of her right bicep. The tattoo was drawn by her friend and Cheek to cheek co-written by Tony Bennett, and she debuted the piece on Instagram with the caption: “Bennedetto. Tony is an artist.”
This massive Metallica moth
At the 2017 Grammy Awards, Gaga debuted a *massive* moth tattoo on her back as a tribute to her performance with Metallica at the ceremony. However, she said that this is a temporary phenomenon for the night, so we move on!
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