The queen of pop, Lady Gaga has a serious love for ink. But the interesting fact behind Lady Gaga’s body art is that all of her tattoos are on the left side of her body. Wonder why? Lady Gaga had promised her dad that she’ll keep all the ink restricted to the left side of her body and keep the right side of her body tattoo-free. Just like this story about the “keep to the left” principle of Lady Gaga’s body tats, there are numerous interesting stories about each of her tats. Let’s find out all about Lady Gaga’s tattoos and their meanings.
1. ‘Treble Clef’ Tattoo
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Tattoo: ‘Treble Clef’ Tattoo on her lower back.
Meaning: Do you guys know at what age she got her first tat? 17 years, Yes! That’s right. Lady Gaga used a fake ID to get a small black treble clef tat on her back. Later in 2008, when Gaga turned 22, she got this tattoo modified by adding beautiful roses along with it by Los Angeles based tattoo artist, Kat Von D. In an interview, Gaga revealed that when she got this tattoo, she was very scared of her parents as they were not so great fan of body tats. She said,
when I got my first one, they like had a freakin’ heart attack! I had a heart attack because I felt bad for not telling them I was gonna it. We’re really close. So I went home and I started crying and I was like I really love it, I’m really sorry.”
2. ‘Peace Sign’ Tattoo
Tattoo: ‘Peace Sign’ Tattoo on her left wrist.
Meaning: She got this tattoo inked in 2006. This tattoo is inspired by ‘John Lennon’, who was an English singer, songwriter, and peace activist. Another interesting fact about this tattoo is that it is inked upside down. She deliberately got it inked right-side-up so that when she looks at the tat, it reminds her of what is important for her in this world. In an interview, she said,
My peace sign…was inspired by John Lennon. I grew up two blocks from the [Strawberry Fields] Imagine memorial. It’s actually one block away from where John Lennon was assassinated. And I am a huge Beatles, John Lennon, Yoko Ono fan. So ‘give peace a chance.’ You will notice that if you’re looking at it, it’s upside down, but for me, it’s right side up. The reason I had it put upside down is that I wanted it to be a reminder to me that, even though I write fun music about sequins and panties and fame and money, I make sure to always keep in mind the important things.”
3. ‘Pattern of Roses’ Tattoo
Tattoo: ‘Pattern of Roses’ Tattoo on the left side of her back.
Meaning: In 2008 Lady Gaga decided to modify her ‘Treble Clef’ tattoo which she got when she was just 17 by using the fake ID. In an interview, she said that she regrets getting that tattoo using a fake ID and its ‘tramp stamp’ location. So, she decided to visit the tattoo artist Kat Von D to add some beautiful roses around it. She said,
Literally this entire side piece I have is a compensation for that one tattoo.”
Later, when she got the pattern of roses inked, She thanked Kat Von D by tweeting,
You do beautiful work. It’s really elegant and the lines are perfect.”
Roses represent love, passion, soulmates, feelings, and emotions.
4. ‘Daisies’ Tattoo
Tattoo: ‘Daisies’ Tattoo on her left shoulder.
Meaning: She has the tattoo of three beautiful daisies which she got inked in 2008 just after getting her ‘Treble Clef’ tattoo modified with the beautiful pattern of roses, by the tattoo artist, Kat Von D. Obviously, Lady Gaga does love flowers a lot. Daisies are the symbol of purity, innocence, and beauty.
5. ‘Tokyo Love’ Tattoo
Tattoo: ‘Tokyo Love’ Tattoo on her left shoulder.
Meaning: Lady gaga got this tattoo inked while her visit to Japan in August 2009. She got this tattoo inked along with her creative team of stylists and designers called ‘Haus of Gaga.’ This tattoo was inked in celebration of Lady Gaga’s collaboration with famous Japanese photographer ‘Nobuyoshi Araki’ for the photoshoot starring Lady Gaga. In an interview, she said,
The tattoo was to celebrate the Haus’s collaboration with legendary Japanese photographer Araki. I was bound by Araki’s personal bondage artist, by several ropes and Japanese knots, and through visceral bondage and sexual-torture experience, Araki photographed me, using a series of several cameras. He did not photograph my image; he photographed my soul. We spent the night with Araki and his friends at a members’ only bar he’s owned for more than 20 years, where he displays his work. Here, he painted me and took Polaroids through the night. I was honored to be the first American woman he’s photographed, and only the second pop artist, in the company of Björk. He signed the Polaroids “Tokyo Love,” and the Haus got tattoos of his marking in celebration.”
6. ‘German Quote’ Tattoo
Tattoo: ‘German’ Tattoo on her left arm.
Meaning: While her visit to Japan in 2009, she decided to get another tattoo. She got a quote in German from Rainer Maria Rilke’s ‘Letters to a Young Poet.’ This quote means “Confess to yourself in the deepest hour of the night whether you would have to die if you were forbidden to write. Dig deep into your heart, where the answer spreads its roots in your being, and ask yourself solemnly, Must I write?” In an interview, she told her fans regarding this tattoo. She said,
I had this tattooed on my arm so that every single day I would be reminded that my gift is songwriting and I have to do it. It’s not an option. It’s like breathing.”
7. ’12/18/1974′ Tattoo
Tattoo: ’12/18/1974′ Tattoo in between her ‘German Quote’ Tattoo
Meaning: The date ’12/18/1974′ is inked right in the middle of Lady Gaga’s German tat. It is the day when her aunt Joanne passed away. She is the same aunt who inspired Lady Gaga’s album ‘Joanne.’
8. ‘Dad’ Tattoo
Tattoo: ‘Dad’ Tattoo on her left shoulder.
Meaning: The pop queen being a daddy’s girl decided to express her love for her father with a tattoo. She got a heart tattoo with ‘Dad’ written on the banner. Lady Gaga got this tat in October 2009 just after her dad had successful open-heart surgery. Her dad initially had refused for the surgery, but Lady Gaga persuaded him by saying she would never love or write again.
Not only this, she wrote the song ‘Speechless’ for her dad to convince him to go for heart surgery. In an interview, she explained her father’s reaction after seeing her ‘Dad’ tattoo. She said,
he got all teary-eyed and he said, ‘Well, you’re running out of real estate, so don’t get it too big.”
9. Little Monsters’ Tattoo
Tattoo: ‘Little Monsters’ Tattoo on her left arm.
Meaning: Just below her ‘German Quote’ tattoo, she got inked ‘Little Monsters’ tattoo about her fans. ‘Little Monsters’ is the name given by Lady Gaga to her fanbase. She got this tattoo inked in February 2010, exactly after winning two ‘Grammy Awards’, one for best dance recording for ‘Poker Face’ and another for electronic dance album for ‘The Fame.’
After winning the awards, she tweeted,
We won big tonight little monsters. I am so proud to make music 4 you. I hope I continue to inspire u the way u inspire me. You’re everything.”
Soon after her win, she got this tattoo inked and tweeted,
look what i did last night. little monsters forever, on the arm that holds my mic. xx”
10. ‘BORN THIS WAY’ Tattoo
Tattoo: ‘BORN THIS WAY’ Tattoo on her left thigh.
Meaning: The queen of pop has a Unicorn inked on her thigh with a banner that reads ‘born this way.’ ‘Born This Way’ is also the name of her album and its lead track. The album is all about embracing your unique qualities which soon became the anthem of the LGBTQ community. It’s a symbol of purity, perfection, and kindness.
11. ‘ARTPOP’ Tattoo
Tattoo: ‘ARTPOP’ Tattoo on her left forearm.
Meaning: Just like Lady Gaga got her ‘Born this way’ tattoo about her album, she also decided to add the title of her another album ‘ARTPOP’ to her tattoos collection. An interesting thing is, she got the tattoo in August 2012 and gave her fans a super early hint about her album which wasn’t released until November 2013. The ‘ARTPOP’ tat is not only the name of her album but it is also an expression of Lady Gaga’s lifestyle and career.
12. ‘Anchor’ Tattoo
Tattoo: ‘Anchor’ Tattoo on the left side of her ribs.
Meaning: She got this tattoo inked in September 2012, by the tattoo artist, Henk Schiffmacher, at Amsterdam Tattoo Museum. She revealed this tattoo to her fans on her twitter account with the tweet,
“New Tat. Stamp of His Mermaid.”
13. ‘Cherub’ Tattoo
Tattoo: ‘Cherub’ Tattoo on the backside of her head.
Meaning: All Lady Gaga’s tattoos are fascinating and have an interesting story too, but this tat is super special. The Queen of pop got her cherub tattoo inked live in front of millions of viewers at her perfume launch on September 13, 2012. While Lady Gaga sat on a giant perfume bottle, the tattoo artist Mark Mahoney inked the Cherub tattoo on the back of her head.
14. ‘RIO’ Tattoo
Tattoo: ‘RIO’ Tattoo on the left side of her neck.
Meaning: Another addition to pop queens tattoo collection is the ‘RIO’ tattoo which is inked on her neck on November 10, 2012. The tat features the word RIO with the ‘I’ fashioned to look like a cross. Lady Gaga’s new tattoo is inspired by her little monsters and the font is three different fans’ signatures. After getting this tattoo, she tweeted,
R†O. Monsters, all over the world you continue to inspire me every day, your like an endless ocean of possibilities…the font was derived out of the signatures of three fans, all from different neighborhoods and ages. Represents how music brings us 2gether.”
15. ‘Mouse’ Tattoo
Tattoo: ‘Mouse’ Tattoo on her left arm.
Meaning: A quirky little mouse decorates the back of Lady Gaga’s left arm. The tat features a small mouse with an “X” over one eye and a sewing needle and thread in one of his hands. The tat is in honor of Lady Gaga’s younger sister Natali Germanotta whom she used to call ‘mouse’ as a child. The details of the tat also symbolize Natali’s life where the needle shows her love for fashion designing and the thread spells ‘Nat’, her nickname.
16. ‘Trumpet’ Tattoo
Tattoo: ‘Trumpet’ Tattoo on her right arm.
Meaning: Lady Gaga went against the promise to her dad of leaving the right side of her body ink-free by getting a trumpet inked on the inside of her right bicep. The inspiration behind this tat was the music legend and accomplished painter ‘Tony Bennett.’ The tattoo shows Lady Gaga’s appreciation for Tony Bennett.
17. ‘Monster Claw’ Tattoo
Tattoo: ‘Moster Claw’ Tattoo on the left side of her back.
Meaning: Inspired by her fans, the mother monster got this tattoo which features a ‘monster claw’ in red color with scales and scary-long fingernails. Lady Gaga says that the tattoo is a reminder of her ‘little monsters’ for her. She got this tattoo inked in 2014. After getting this tattoo, she tweeted,
I never realized before but I put the tattoo of my fans ‘monster paw’ the symbol of our fan base right over my heart. It’s not easy to perform this song, but I know you will have my heart in your hands holding me up like you have for almost a decade. Thank you for being the pillars that hold up my roof, everything i stand for is in you.”
18. ‘Mother Monster’ Tattoo
Tattoo: ‘Mother Monster’ Tattoo on the left side of her ribs.
Meaning: Just after a month of getting the ‘monster claw’ tat in 2014, Lady Gaga went under the needle again to get another tat. This time it was pop queen’s nickname, ‘Mother Monster’ in a paisley design sprawling across the left side of her rib cage and extending up to her armpit. The tattoo was in honor of the 5th anniversary of ‘The Fame Monster’ (reissue of her debut album, The Fame (2008).
19. ‘David Bowie Portrait’ Tattoo
Tattoo: ‘David Bowie Portrait’ Tattoo on the left side of her torso.
Meaning: Lady Gaga was chosen to perform a tribute to the late David Bowie at the Grammy Awards in 2016, and the pop star decided to commemorate the honor in the most permanent of ways – by getting a portrait tattoo of the legend inked on her side. She tweeted,
This was the image that changed my life.”
She even shared the image on her Snapchat, referring to Bowie’s ‘Aladdin Sane’ album cover.
20. ‘Fire Rose Unity Symbol’ Tattoo
Tattoo: ‘Fire Rose Unity Symbol’ Tattoo on her left shoulder.
Meaning: At the time of an emotional Oscars performance, 50 sexual-assault survivors joined Gaga on stage. Gaga made a pact with the survivors and for that, she got inked ‘Fire Rose Unity Symbol’ tattoo. Her tattoo artist Lin explained the meaning behind this tattoo. Lin explained,
The tattoo was made for, and dedicated to, survivors. It is a unity symbol inspired by the loops of our DNA structure and our universal infinity sign. It combines inspiration from Lady Gaga’s favorite flower, the white rose, to breathe life into an organic and growing symbol. The final image embraces a fiery shape to give us power and strength everywhere we go.”
21. ‘Joanne’ Tattoo
Tattoo: ‘Joanne’ Tattoo on her left forearm.
Meaning: Gaga got her album name ‘Joanne’ inked on her arm which was released on October 21, 2016. She got this tattoo inked on October 25, 2016. This tattoo is also related to her aunt ‘Joanne’, who died on December 18, 1974.
22. ‘Haus’ Tattoo
Tattoo: ‘Haus’ Tattoo on her left arm.
Meaning: This tattoo is inked just above her ‘mouse’ tattoo. The tattoo ‘Haus’ is related to ‘Haus of Gaga’, her creative team of stylists and designers. She got this tattoo inked in 2016 on the event of celebrations of the 10th anniversary of ‘Haus of Gaga.’
23. ‘la vie en rose’ Tattoo
Tattoo: ‘la vie en rose’ Tattoo on her back
Meaning: This tattoo is inked by Los Angeles based tattoo artist, Winter Stone. She got this tattoo inked on February 14, 2019. She uploaded the picture of this tattoo on February 15, 2019, on her Instagram account with the caption,
Happy Valentine’s Day. A tattoo toast to “la vie en rose” by the beautiful @winterstone my spinal cord is now a rose.”
24. ‘Musical Note’ Tattoo
Tattoo: ‘Musical Note’ Tattoo on her right forearm.
Meaning: She got this tattoo inked by the tattoo artist Winter Stone. Initially, there was some error, but Winter immediately fixed it to spell the notes as ‘GAGA.’ However, the fans pointed out that the notes are read as ‘BCBC’, Bradley Cooper’s initials in bass clef. There were rumors that this tattoo is related to the upcoming album of Lady Gaga but till now no such album is launched by her by this name. Further, Gaga has not made any public confirmation regarding this tattoo.
I do not like any of her tattooes . I do not understand why people who are so rich have so ugly paintings.
That’s because she’s trash.
shut up
That is just what they like. I believe that they are beautiful. The unity symbol is my favorite especially because I am a sexual assault survivor. I intend on getting that same tattoo soon.
I don’t like tattoos. Though Gaga is such an amazing and creative artist, and these are meaningful. She can do what she wants, I cant control that. Love u gaga!
You dont like tattoos but you’re on body art websites?