It is common for pop sensations such as Miley Cyrus, Demi Lovato, and Justin Bieber to get the occasional ink piece, but very few celebrities are known prominently for their tattoos. Now more than ever, musicians, models, and actors are going under the needle as a way to express themselves through the ancient artwork of tattooing. Now it is time for us to become the judges, of who wears their ink best.
Adam Levine
Well known for his singing career in pop rock band Maroon 5, a judge on The Voice, and the Casanova of Victoria’s Secret models; Levine has swept up the hearts of Hollywood and caused audiences to want his “Hands All Over”. Levine’s artistry transcends his work as a musician, flowing under the skin as well, through his famous display of tattoo ink. Levine sticks in the black and grey style, most noticeably possessing a tiger on his right forearm, an eagle on his sternum, a sun peaking through clouds on his chest, and of course a sleeve on his left arm featuring roses, a bird in flight, a guitar, and a tribute to his mother.
Adam’s tattoos exemplify him as a musician, because they display a classic American-Traditional style. He kept with black and grey for all of his tattoos and included iconic tattoo imagery such as birds, a shark, and of course, a pinup girl in his collection. Adam’s choice of traditional style tattoos reflects his musicality, and his ink adds emphasis to the rock influence of his band. But technicality aside, how could Adam Levine not be considered one of the hottest tattooed celebrities on the planet? Have you seen that body?
Rihanna
There’s no way that America’s sultry sexpot could be left off our list. Her hit single “S&M” explains that Rihanna is not going back and that the pain is her pleasure, and it is clear from her tattoos that RiRi has been receiving a lot of needle pleasure over the years. RiRi has a variety of little ink pieces from the ones decorating her sides to her ankles, but we’re here to talk about the big pieces. The first large tattoo piece that Rihanna became known for were the stars decorating the back of her neck and down her spine. These tattoos began as a matching piece to her boyfriend at the time, Chris Brown’s stars yet when the relationship fell apart Rihanna changed the design by adding more stars.
Then Rihanna caught our attention with her sternum piece, a tribute to her grandmother and guardian angel through the Egyptian goddess Isis. Isis was not the only Egyptian ink that RiRi has gotten done, she also posses a portrait of Queen Nefertiti on her side and an Egyptian Falcon in the shape of a handgun on her ankle. Recently Rihanna has done some ‘handiwork’ getting henna-style tattoos on her right hand. These tattoos cover up an existing hand tattoo, a Maori tribal tattoo. This is possibly Rihanna’s boldest tattoo yet but it fits with this racially-ambiguous songstress and it makes us eager to see that this edgy star will get next.
Harry Styles
He may be in a boy band but this British pop prince does have some fairly worthy ink. Like Rihanna, Styles is covering in a plethora of little ink pieces yet we are here to focus on the big numbers. In 2012 Styles got his first big pieces, two black and grey swallows on his chest. This tattoo is classic to the point of meaningless repetition, yet with Styles’ bad boy rocker persona the look works.
He then followed with his theme of nautical travel with a sailing ship on his left bicep. In January of 2013 Styles followed the trends of RiRi and Levine, getting a butterfly on his sternum. This is Styles’ largest tattoo and creates an interesting juxtaposition between the girly nature of a butterfly and the blood and needles of a tattoo. With his killer pipes and collage of tattoos, Harry Styles isn’t going anywhere soon in music and the hearts of teen girls worldwide.
Cher Lloyd
Like Styles, Cher Lloyd rose to fame on Britain’s X-Factor and she proved that facing Simon Cowell is far more terrifying than any tattoo needle. Unlike RiRi, Cher’s tattoos mimic her cutesy femininity and lyrical soul, starting with the black and grey bow on her lower back. On her right arm she has a partial sleeve, containing black and grey butterflies and a traditional style bird carrying a banner with the word ‘Boo’ to honor her late uncle.
She continued her memorial on her left arm, with an open birdcage on her inner forearm. Above the birdcage, Lloyd got a Mexican Sugar Skull, which are representative of the Day of the Dead in Mexican culture and can also symbolize the love of someone who has passed on. Cher’s tattoos express her sensitivity while still adding a punch to her tongue and cheek lyrics.
Jesse Rutherford
You may not know the name, but you’ll certainly recognize his voice. Rutherford is the lead singer in rock band The Neighbourhood, and his hit single ‘Sweater Weather’ led us longing to cozy up with the tattoo-clad musician. As the most tattooed artist on this list, it is difficult where to begin. On his neck Rutherford has an inverted ‘All-Seeing Eye Pyramid’, which has commonly been associated with the illuminati. While his allegiance with this secret society may remain a mystery, the religious imagery continues to his chest with the words ‘Let Go and Let God’.
Below these words Rutherford incorporates a haunting traditional-style woman in prayer, surrounded by roses and above the words ‘How I Can Breathe’. Rutherford has beaten out other musicians by already inking down two whole sleeves, which also follow mystical theme. On his right shoulder he has an owl in flight, waves on his left wrist, and an intriguing female portrait on his left bicep. Rutherford’s tattoos blend together and it would take hours for him to explain them all in the detail that they deserve. But hey, there must be some girl lucky enough to hear this handsome singer talk about what inspires his music and his tattoos. A girl can dream at least.
Ruby Rose
From model, to television presenter, to MTV VJ, and now recording artist; this Australian cutie has her share of colorful tattoos, which express her less than conventional character. Rose stands out in the music and entertainment industries as an LGBT ambassador, and she has used her tattoos as a way to express both her feminine and masculine sides. She’s modeled for Maxim Australia and bared it all for PETA, yet in 2014 she came out as gender fluid. She expressed this gender orientation in a short film called ‘Break Free’, where she transformed from a very feminine woman to a heavily tattooed man.
Rose’s ambitions to break the constraints of gender and society can also be seen through her tattoos, which she wears as art on her skin. Unlike many other celebrities, Rose embraces color through the Japanese traditional style in a half-sleeve on her right arm. She has Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, Leonardo on her right forearm and a controversial tribute to street artist Jean-Michel Basquiat on her left bicep. On her back, Rose has a traditional sparrow above the script ‘Nothing Takes Away The Past Like The Future’, which is next to a realism portrait from the comic book, Tank Girl. Rose proves through her honest emotion that she is a badass and her beautifully done tattoos only emphasize this trait.