Demi Lovato is one of the biggest pop acts of the past decade, known for her headline-grabbing personal lifestyle and smash hit songs. In fact, anyone who has ever looked at a photo of the sultry songstress has probably noticed a multitude of ink designs adorning Lovato’s skin, but people might be wondering if it’s real and if Demi Lovato actually has tattoos.
Demi Lovato has over 20 tattoos and regularly adds new artwork to the roster. Lovato’s tattoos often hold deep meaning for the singer, who is inspired by her life experiences when she chooses a new piece.
Read more below about Demi Lovato’s tattoos, the meaning behind them and the artists she works with to get her Instagram-worthy designs.
Disney Darling to Youthful Defiance
Demi Lovato has been working in the entertainment industry since she was a child, starring in the 90s hit show Barney and Friends and working her way up to the big leagues, becoming a hit singer who has recorded six albums and as an actress with multiple television shows and teen movies on her resume.
Despite growing up in the limelight, Lovato did not get her first tattoo until she turned 16 years old, when she had the words, “You make me beautiful,” tattooed onto her rib cage. Lovato told iHeartRadio that the words are lyrics from a song, noting, “It was so sketch, but I wanted to get tattooed so bad. I do things out of rebellion. So that was like one of the main reasons why I got it so young.”
Lovato was employed by the Disney Channel at the time, and she, along with many other teen Disney stars, have gone on to shed their squeaky clean personas and get tattoos.
Rebellion aside, Lovato’s tattoos are a mixture of meaningful and meaningless, with the singer telling Hollywood Life that her second piece of art was simply chosen because she liked the design, saying, “I just think it’s cute.” As time has gone on, though, Lovato’s tattoos have grown more personal and reflective in nature.
You can watch Demi Lovato discuss some of her most famous tattoos in the YouTube video below.
Expressive Ink and Telling Tattoos
Throughout the years, Lovato has spoken about her religious beliefs and has several tattoos that represent her spiritual side, including a cross on the side of her hand, the word “faith,” and an angel being carried by doves. She also has a tattoo honoring her late father, as well as multiple tattoos referencing her struggles with mental health and sobriety.
Spiritual Rebirth and Looking Forward
However, that is not to say the pop star has always loved how her tattoos have turned out. She’s had multiple pieces added to or covered up, sometimes causing controversy with her decisions. Lovato is also known for rounding up her friends and employees and getting matching tattoos.
Demi Lovato’s most recent tattoo is one of her most personal. Lovato, who suffered a near fatal overdose in July of 2018, told famed tattoo artist Alessandro Capozzi about her life, how she was dealing with the aftermath and where she was at in that moment in her life. Along with Capozzi, who described the ink as a rebirth of spirit, Lovato helped design the tattoo, showing it off on her Instagram.
Given the personal nature of most of her artwork, Demi Lovato seems unlikely to stop getting tattoos anytime soon, even though she no longer knows the exact amount she has, telling iHeartRadio, “Well, it’s difficult because it’s like I lost count. Do you count the ‘Stay’ and ‘Strong’? Do you count the individual birds? And, then, I have feathers connected to an old tattoo, so I have no idea. I have a lot.”
Lovato went on to comment on her high pain tolerance, so fans of her tattoos should keep their eyes peeled for future ink appearing on Lovato’s social media.