Selena Gomez doesn't just use music to express herself. Since 2012, the singer, actress and founder of Rare Beauty has been amassing a collection of 16 tattoos that together form an intimate map of her life: key dates, personal struggles, deep faith and unbreakable friendships. Each piece is delicate, often minimalist, and carries a message that resonates far beyond the ink.
From the semicolon symbol of suicide prevention to the word "Rare" under her ear, the date of her kidney transplant anda large matching watercolor rose with Cara Delevingne, Selena's collection tells the story of a woman who has turned every hardship into strength. This guide explores each of her pieces, their meanings and the artist who made them.
The Selena Gomez style: personal, minimalist messages
The majority of Selena's tattoos are minimalist, small, discreet and placed on strategic areas: wrist, behind the ear, nape of the neck, foot. This choice reflects a deeply intimate approach to tattooing: it's not about showing off, but about conveying meaning. As she explained in an interview, each of her tattoos represents something she deeply loves. Her main tattoo artist, Keith "Bang Bang" McCurdy, owner of the renowned Bang Bang studio in New York, has done between 8 and 10 of her pieces - some of which are, in her words, "hidden all over her body".
The most symbolic tattoos and their meanings
The Arabic inscription on the back: "Love yourself first".
One of Selena Gomez's most famous tattoos is the phrase in Arabic calligraphy located on her right shoulder blade, created in 2014 by Bang Bang. The translation: "Love Yourself First". According to the tattoo artist, Selena had wanted this tattoo for a long time and knew exactly how she wanted it written.
The message takes on a special significance when you consider Selena's background: a diagnosis of Lupus, a kidney transplant, depression and stays in nursing homes. Before being able to love others, you first had to learn to love yourself - that's Selena Gomez's resilient message. This tattoo was spotted at the 2022 Emmy Awards, as she embraced her co-star Steve Martin.
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The semicolon symbol is associated with Project Semicolon: it symbolizes a sentence that could have ended, but where the author chose to continue. Popularized on social networks, it has become a rallying cry for mental illness, particularly depression.
The "Rare" tattoo: a hymn to self-acceptance
In January 2020, Selena unveiled on Instagram a new tattoo created by Bang Bang:the word "Rare", inscribed in fine script just under her right jaw. The tattoo refers to both her self-titled album and her cosmetics brand Rare Beauty. The message is clear: no one is perfect, but everyone is unique and precious.
Bang Bang explained that Selena had always wanted a neck tattoo. They tried different locations before settling on the area under her jaw. Her only concern was to be able to hide it easily with make-up for her acting roles, notably in Only Murders in the Building on Disney +.
The semicolon: her fight for mental health
On her left wrist, Selena wears a semicolon ";", tattooed in April 2017 alongside Alisha Boe and Tommy Dorfman, actors in the series 13 Reasons Why, which she produced. The symbol is that of Project Semicolon, a suicide prevention organization: the semicolon represents a place where a sentence could have ended, but where the author chose to continue.
For Selena, who has openly spoken about her own struggles with anxiety and depression, this tattoo is much more than a symbol: it's a permanent reminder that things can get better. The show's other producers, Joy Gorman Wettels and Kristel Laiblin, had the same symbol tattooed a week earlier.
Friendship and family tattoos: her unbreakable bonds
The number "1" and the "4": her sisterhood
In August 2018, on the occasion of her friend Courtney Barry's birthday, Selena and three of her best friends (Courtney, Raquelle Stevens and Ashley Cook) spontaneously went to a tattoo parlor. Each of the friends got a tattoo of the number "4" to represent their indestructible group of four friends. Selena placed hers just below her right elbow.
That same evening, Selena and Courtney also got the number "1" tattooed on their ribs, to symbolize that they are each other's "number 1". Raquelle, more hesitant, got a tattoo of a "4" so small that Selena teased her that it looked like a dot.
The date of her kidney transplant: a tribute to Francia Raisa
In 2017, Selena Gomez underwent a kidney transplant made necessary by her Lupus. Her donor was her longtime friend, actress Francia Raisa. To commemorate this life-saving act of generosity, Selena has the date of the operation tattooed above her right elbow. This tattoo, revealed in the clip for "Rare", is one of the most intimate in her tattoo collection.
The "g" for her little sister Gracie
Behind her left ear, Selena sports a delicate "g" in tiny cursive. Fans have long speculated that it was a "J" for Justin Bieber, but Selena confirmed in 2015 that it represents her half-sister Gracie, born in 2013. This birth was particularly precious: Selena's mother had suffered a miscarriage in 2011 with another baby girl she had named Scarlett.
The letter G tattoo is also shared by celebrities like Hailey Bieber, but for other meanings. This discreet script tattoo pays tribute to Pastor Chad Veach's daughter Georgia, diagnosed with a rare brain disease called lissencephaly.
Other celebrities, including Ashley Benson, have done the same tattoo in solidarity and to raise awareness of this rare disease.
Great artistic pieces
The watercolor rose on the back: matched with Cara Delevingne
In December 2021, Bang Bang revealed on Instagram the most imposing and colorful piece in Selena Gomez's tattoo collection : a watercolor rose with pink and gray petals, placed on her back, just below her Roman numerals LXXVI. The identity of the design initially intrigued fans, some seeing it as a dreamcatcher or the portrait of a woman in a hat.
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The mystery was lifted when Bang Bang revealed that Cara Delevingne wore the same watercolor pink on her ribs. The two friends and future co-stars of Only Murders in the Building had chosen this matching tattoo to seal their friendship. Selena explained that Cara calls her "Rosebud" and that she had always dreamed of a rose.
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The tattooist humorously confessed that these were his very first watercolors on Selena and Cara, without telling his clients until the end of the session. Bold!
Hands in prayer and rosary on thigh
Revealed at the 2019 American Music Awards, the tattoo of praying hands holding a rosary adorns Selena Gomez's right thigh. It's her largest piece in terms of size among her black tattoos, and reflects her deep Christian faith. This theme of spirituality runs through several of her tattoos, including the quote "God who strengthens me" (an excerpt from Philippians 4:13) inscribed on her thigh, a cross on her collarbone and the Roman numerals LXXVI (76, her mother's birth year) on the back of her neck.
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Keith "Bang Bang" McCurdy: the artist behind Selena's ink
Keith Scott "Bang Bang" McCurdy is Selena Gomez's go-to tattoo artist. Owner of thefamous Bang Bang Tattoo studio in New York, he is also the tattoo artist for Rihanna, Justin Bieber and Cara Delevingne. He describes Selena as "wonderful" and has done the majority of her iconic pieces: the Arabic-language "Love Yourself First" quote, the "Rare" under the jaw, the watercolor rose, the cross on the collarbone and the rosary on the thigh.
Selena also has matching tattoos with other close friends: mutual arrows with singer Julia Michaels (when their hands come together, the arrow points to the other), as well as the word "sunshine" on her right foot in tribute to her grandmother, whom she used to call "my sunshine".
💡 Did you know?
Bang Bang explained that many of Selena's tattoos are hidden all over her body, which explains why she once said she no longer knew exactly how many she had.
Complete Selena Gomez tattoo directory
| Zone | Motif | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| Right wrist | Musical note | 1st tattoo (2012), music influence |
| Neck | "LXXVI" (76) | Mother Mandy's year of birth (1976) |
| Right shoulder blade | Arabic phrase | "Love yourself first" (2014, Bang Bang) |
| Right thigh | "God who strengthens me | Philippians 4:13, Christian faith |
| Behind ear G. | "lowercase "g | Sister Gracie, born in 2013 |
| Right foot | Sunshine | Tribute to grandmother |
| Left hip | Symbol / date | Meeting a best friend |
| Left wrist | Semicolon ( ; ) | Project Semicolon, mental health (2017) |
| Right arm | " 4 " | Sorority with 3 BFFs (2018) |
| Ribs | " 1 " | Courtney Barry = her "number 1 |
| Above elbow D. | Date of transplant | Kidney transplant 2017 (Francia Raisa) |
| Right thigh | Hands in prayer + rosary | Faith, revealed at AMA 2019 |
| Collarbone | Cross | Spirituality (Bang Bang, 2021) |
| Neck / Jaw D. | "Rare | Album + Rare Beauty (2020, Bang Bang) |
| Back | Pink watercolor | Matching with Cara Delevingne (2021) |
| Hand | Arrows | Matching tattoo with Julia Michaels |
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FAQ: everything you need to know about Selena Gomez's tattoos
What is Selena Gomez's first tattoo?
A small music note tattoo on her right wrist, done in 2012. Fans initially mistook it for a heart, but Selena confirmed that it was a note, as music is a major influence in her life. Her parents named her after the singer Selena Quintanilla.
What do Selena Gomez's back tattoos mean?
She has two main ones on her back: an Arabic phrase on her shoulder blade meaning "Love yourself first" (2014), and a large watercolor rose in shades of pink and gray (2021), matching Cara Delevingne's. Both are placed under her tattoo. Both are placed beneath her LXXVI Roman numeral tattoo.
How many tattoos does Selena Gomez have?
Selena has around 16 tattoos listed to date, although she herself has admitted that she no longer knows exactly how many she has. Many are hidden and have not yet been publicly displayed.
Does Selena Gomez have a tattoo for Justin Bieber?
No. Despite persistent rumors, none of her tattoos are dedicated to Justin Bieber. The "g" behind her ear, long mistaken for a "J", represents her half-sister Gracie. Her tattoos are mainly about herself, her family and close friends, as well as her faith and spirituality.
What is Selena Gomez's tattoo behind the ear?
Selena has two distinct tattoos in this area. Behind the left ear is the "g" for Gracie. Just below the right jaw, the word "Rare", done in January 2020 by Bang Bang, refers to her album and beauty brand.
Who is Selena Gomez's tattoo artist?
Keith "Bang Bang" McCurdy, owner of Bang Bang Tattoo studio in New York, is her main artist. He has done between 8 and 10 of her pieces, including the Arabic phrase, the "Rare", the watercolor rose and the cross on the collarbone. The studio is also frequented by Rihanna and Cara Delevingne.
