Most celebrities are fond of tattoos, viewing them as more than just body art. One such star who is a tattoo enthusiast is American singer Rihanna, who has over 20 known tattoos. And the meanings behind Rihanna’s tattoos have always sparked curiosity among her fans.
Why does Rihanna have so many tattoos? The singer admitted to being addicted to tats. She had her first tattoo at 18. Keith Scott, alias Bang Bang, has done most of her body art. Her tattoos are a collection of personal and memorable moments in her life.
Rihanna's tattoos and their meanings
How many tattoos does Rihanna have? The American singer has over 20 known tattoos as of January 2024. Some have been covered up with others. Here is a collection of Rihanna's tattoos and what they represent.
1. Pisces sign
The Pisces symbol is among Rihanna's first tattoos done in 2006. The art is located right behind the right ear and was done by a Brazilian tattoo artist when the singer was in Tokyo, Japan. The tat represents her astrological sign as she was born on 20 February, making her a Pisces.
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2. Star
A star ink is one of the singer's earliest tattoos. It is situated inside her left ear. She got this tattoo in August 2006, though it has faded. It was inked in New York, and the singer revealed that she was with her friend from Barbados, and they had to do something crazy.
3. A trail of stars on her back
A trail of stars ink is one of the singer's known art that runs down the back to her right shoulder. She first got a portion of stars in her neck in 2008, while in Los Angeles, USA and later added the stars that run down her back in New York, USA. This art was done by the tattoo artist Bang Bang.
4. Rebelle Fleur
'Rebelle Fleur' is among Rihanna's neck tattoos. It is a French word that translates to rebel flower. She got criticised for this tat as people claimed it was grammatically incorrect because nouns come before adjectives in the French language. However, according to the LA Times, the singer elaborated that the name translates to rebel flower, two nouns, not rebellious flower.
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5. Roman Numerals
Roman numerals are among the famous Rihanna's shoulder tattoos on her left shoulder. The XI IV LXXXVI, which stands for 11 April 1986, represents her best friend Melissa Forde's birthday. Her friend also got Rihanna's birthday tattoo in numerals.
6. Love
The singer's simplest ink is 'Love,' inked on the middle finger of her left hand. She got it in Los Angeles, and it can only be seen when she sticks up her middle finger or holds a microphone.
7. Shhh
The singer got this ink on the index finger of her right hand. It was done by the tattoo artist Bang Bang. Other celebrities like Lily Allen and Lindsay Lohan have precisely the same tattoo.
8. Cross
The singer had this ink on her collarbone in March 2012, done by the tattoo artist Bang Bang. It represents her Christian faith as she was raised by her mother, Monica, a devout Christian.
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9. Never a failure, always a lesson
"Never a failure, always a lesson" represents the singer's motto for life. She explained during TheEllenShow that it basically means it's okay to make mistakes, as long as you don't make them twice. It is inked below her collarbone and written backwards so she can read it in the mirror. It was done in 2009.
10. Egyptian Queen Nefertiti
The singer had this tattoo on her left rib cage. She showed it off in January 2012 during a photoshoot with Terry Richardson. Nefertiti was the Great Royal wife of the Egyptian Pharaoh, Akhenaten. She represents femininity and fertility and is described as an influential and independent figure.
11. Gun
Her tattoo artist, Bang Bang, decided on this tattoo for her. It was inked below her right armpit in March 2009. During an interview with Elle UK, Rihanna said the art symbolises strength for her.
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12. Arabic script
Below the portrait of Egyptian Queen Nefertiti on the left side of her rib cage, the American singer has an Arabic phrase tattoo that means Freedom in God. She has repeatedly shown this art when performing or modelling products from her Savage X Fenty business.
13. Goddess Isis
Goddess Isis ink is one of the singer's iconic tattoos. She tattooed this design as a tribute to her grandmother, who passed away in July 2012. The Egyptian goddess Isis is described as the ideal mother, wife, and friend to the oppressed, enslaved people and sinners.
14. Maori/ henna-inspired ink
This art is among the most visible Rihanna's hand tattoos. She first got the Maori-inspired art on her right hand during her November 2008 tour in New Zealand. It was done in the traditional style of the Maori people in New Zealand. It symbolises strength and love.
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The art faded over time. In 2013, she incorporated a henna-inspired ink into her Maori tattoo. It took Bang Bang, her tattoo artist, 11 hours to do it.
15. Large cross
The large cross ink is among Rihanna's arm tattoos. Bang Bang inked a large cross on the underside of her right wrist in January 2014. The cross is surrounded by black ink, and it also represents her faith.
16. Sanskrit prayer
Sanskrit prayer is among Rihanna's hip tattoos that are inked vertically down her right hip. It is one of her earliest tat done in 2007 by the tattoo artist Bang Bang. Additionally, it was her first art done by the artist.
It was meant to read "forgiveness, honesty, suppression, and control"; instead, it was misspelt and incorrectly translated to "long-suffering, truthfulness, self-restraint, fear, calmness, and fearlessness."
17. Crown
Crown art covered up the camo shark tattoo inked in 2016 that matched with her then-boyfriend Drake. The crown ink wraps halfway around her left ankle. It was first spotted by her fans in 2021 when she was with her boyfriend, A$AP Rocky.
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18. Tibetan script
The singer's Tibetan art is in a secretive spot on her derriere. Her fans rarely see it, but she shows it off when posing for her brand line, Savage X Fenty. The phrase means lover.
19. Falcon
The falcon ink was tattooed in June 2012 by Bang Bang on the outside of her left ankle. It covers up the musical notes that were one of her earliest tats. The singer disclosed that the tattoo represents God while speaking to Oprah.
20. 1988
Rihanna was born on 20 February 1988. Therefore, she got this tattoo in August 2015 to represent her birth year. It was done on the front side of her right ankle.
21. Skull and crossbones
The famous entrepreneur had this art done on her right ankle in 2008 when she was living in Miami, USA. Although skull and cross bones are associated with danger, she gave it a bespoke touch with a red bow to give it a lovely feminine twist.
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Rihanna's tattoos are iconic and meaningful. They reflect aspects of her life, including her relationships, family, and faith. The star is among the most followed celebrities in the music industry, and it is no surprise that fans are interested in her body art. As of this writing, she has over 20 known tattoos.
Legit.ng recently published an article about tattoos representing growth and change. Tattoos are great as they express your thoughts and feelings. They are the cutest art form.
Tattoos representing growth and change are great symbols because they will always remind you to keep growing to higher heights. If you are a person who values development and change, these tattoos symbolising growth are ideal for you.
Source: Legit.ng
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