Harry Styles, Ariana Grande, and Justin Bieber are just some of the celebrities known for having huge tattoo collections. Each of them has at least 40 tats, and by the looks of it, they're not stopping any time soon. Every time fans see them, they spot another one. Based on her regular Instagrams at the tattoo parlor, Demi Lovato is solidifying her spot on the list of celebs who can't stop, won't stop getting tatted too. Fans curious to find out how many tattoos Demi Lovato has will be surprised to hear the answer.
Lovato's tats are usually symbolic, many reflecting her personal experiences with mental health, while others are tributes to her late family members and pets. Since a lot of her tattoos are visible, Lovato often shares the meanings behind them on social media in order to help fans understand them. She also has a few pieces that aren't easily seen, making them a total mystery to her followers.
In a 2010 interview with Hollywood Life, Lovato revealed she got her first tattoo at the age of 16. Her collection has grown so much through the years, and right now, while it's impossible to pin-point exactly how many tattoos she has, it's clear she has over 25 in 2020. Each one is significant and tells a part of the star's life story, and you can read about some of them below.
Lovato's first tattoo features the lyrics "You make me beautiful" from Bethany Dillon's 2004 song "Beautiful."
"The words were so encouraging and lifted me through a really dark time in my life. It’s kind of a Christian tattoo, so for me it’s religious, but it could be for anybody," Lovato told Hollywood Life in 2010. A year after getting it in 2008, Lovato added two feathers underneath. In 2016, she expanded her tattoo again with a dreamcatcher.
According to the singer, Lovato didn't get this tat for any specific reason. "I have a feather behind my ear, and it honestly doesn’t mean anything. I just think it’s cute," she told Hollywood Life in a 2010 interview.
Lovato had these infamous lips done when she was 18 years years old. In 2015, the singer replaced the design with a rose, causing controversy with the original tattoo artist who drew the lips for her.
After completing rehab in 2011, Lovato said the first thing she did was get "Stay Strong" inked on her wrists. "A lot of fans were telling me that, and it helped me get through a rough period, so anytime that I would feel triggered to either self-harm or act out in an unhealthy behavior, I could look down at that and stay strong," she told iHeartRadio at the time.
Many of Lovato's tats are inspired by her religion, like the word "Faith," which is located on her right arm.
The image of a cross is another nod to Lovato's Christian faith.
The phrase is a lyric from Lovato's song "Warrior," off her self-titled 2013 album, Demi. "[The tattoo] was kind of like a tribute to releasing the album as well as overcoming some really, really difficult things in my life," she explained on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon in 2013.
In a 2013 interview with Hollywire, Lovato revealed "Let go and let God" is her favorite life motto, and that's why she wanted the phrase forever inked on her body.
The roman numeral three on Lovato's wrist is in remembrance of her father, Patrick Lovato, who died of cancer in 2013. "That was kind of our number because we were huge fans of Dale Earnhardt and NASCAR. So, I think it's not only my most redneck tattoo but one of the most meaningful as well," she explained in a 2015 interview with Deezer.
The roman numerals on Lovato's ribcage are her loved ones' birthdays.
You may have noticed that many of Lovato's tats follow a similar theme: freedom. The flock of birds on her left arm is no exception. "I love the freedom that birds represent," Lovato told iHeartRadio in 2014, adding she didn't have a reason for getting 12 birds specifically. However, a friend realized the number could signify the Alcoholics Anonymous 12-step recovery program, which Lovato followed in 2013. "I got that while I was in Sober Living, apparently it was really meant to be," Lovato said.
In 2015, Lovato's rose tattoo caused quite the stir because she used it to cover up her image of a pair of lips, which reminded her of another body part instead. The star's original tattoo artist didn't appreciate the change at all.
Fans have a few different theories for what the meaning behind this tat is. The lion could represent the singer’s astrology sign, Leo, or her 2015 song "Lionheart," which is about having courage. Not to mention, Lovato also used to call her late dog Buddy "little lion heart."
For Lovato's 26th birthday, she honored her grandmother by getting a portrait of her at the same age tattooed on her inner-forearm.
"This is for you Mimaw. You at 26 on my arm while I’m 26, and forever. I love you more. ❤️ Thank you @_dr_woo_ for making her come back to life for me.. it’s stunning and the most meaningful tattoo I have ever gotten. 🙏🏼🙌🏼," Lovato wrote on Instagram.
In January 2019, just days after celebrating the six-month anniversary of her sobriety, Lovato got this dainty tattoo, so fans believe it's meant to recognize a new chapter in her life.
After Lovato's dog Buddy passed away in 2015 from a tragic accident, she had "Buddy was here" written on her foot. In 2019, she added a portrait of him above the words. "I will love you forever and never forget you," Lovato wrote about Buddy on IG.
Some of Lovato's smallest tats are located on her fingers, like the phrase "me" on her left ring finger. In a June 2019 IG post, Lovato revealed it serves as a reminder to put herself first.
The "T" is the initial of Lovato's late friend Thomas Trussell III, who passed away from a drug overdose in October 2019.
Lovato has continuously overcome her personal battles through the years in front of the entire world, so this phrase could reference her spirit of perseverance. "What I see in the mirror [is] someone that's overcome a lot. I've been through a lot and I genuinely see a fighter," the star once said about herself during a 2019 Teen Vogue Summit.
Ahead of making her first performance after her July 2018 hospitalization due to an apparent drug overdose, Lovato got a tattoo that symbolized the "spiritual awakening" she was going through.
"Having a fallen angel being lifted by 3, pure, angelic doves (the Holy Trinity) as her inner light is being guided by a higher consciousness, and the disintegration of her dark wings was representing the darkness I was shedding," she explained in a Feb. 11 IG.
In less than a year, Lovato got three neck tattoos and her latest addition appears to be a realistic image of a butterfly. "Dear little me, I’m sorry that it took so long but baby your free," she captioned her IG of the artwork, suggesting it represents freedom.
With her history of getting new pieces and touch ups every few years, her collection likely won't stop here.
