Ariana Grande is not only one of the most powerful voices of her generation: she's also a veritable ink collector. With over 74 tattoos to date (6 of which have mysterious meanings), the singer and actress uses her skin as an open-air diary. Each design tells the story of a chapter in her life: a tribute to a loved one, a nod to pop culture, or the trace of an intense emotion. From the tiny inscriptions on her fingers to the imposing pieces on her hands and back, her tattoos are constantly evolving, some being covered over, others corrected, and new ones appearing regularly.
In this comprehensive guide, we explore the meaning behind each of her most iconic tattoos, the famous anecdotes surrounding them and the most recent additions, including those related to the film Wicked and her Oscar 2025 nomination.
The evolution of Ariana Grande's style: from the first heart to fine-line tattoos
Ariana's tattoo story began in 2012, when she was just 18 and still starring in the Nickelodeon series Victorious. Her very first tattoo is a small heart traced on the second toe of her right foot, made during the recording of her debut album Yours Truly. This discreet motif is also a nod to the title "Tattooed Heart", one of her favorite tracks from that album.
Since then, his style has evolved considerably. The first tattoos were shy, small and often hidden. Then, over the years, Ariana adopted an increasingly assertive style: delicate "fine lines" created by renowned artists such as Mira Mariah (aka Girl Knew York) and Kane Navasard. Her hands, veritable living canvases, are now home to dozens of motifs that almost form a complete "tattoo glove". As she confided in an interview, "my hands make me so happy".
In total, Ariana now has between 70 and 80 tattoos, a figure that is constantly evolving. Six former designs have been covered up (cover-up technique), and six others remain unidentified by fans. As she explained to Allure magazine in 2023: when she has an idea for a tattoo, she goes straight to the tattooist.
The most emblematic tattoos and their meanings
The Manchester bee: a poignant tribute
After the attack on May 22, 2017 during her concert at the Manchester Arena, Ariana Grande and several members of her team had a small bee tattooed behind the ear. The worker bee, in English worker bee, is Manchester's historic symbol, representing the city's resilience and industrious spirit since the Industrial Revolution.
Ariana shared a photo of this tattoo on social networks with the simple word "forever", testifying to her unbreakable bond with the fans who lived through this tragedy alongside her. This tattoo has become one of the most symbolic in his collection, and remains a powerful reminder of solidarity.
"Mille Tendresse" and "Bellissima": her roots and her idols
Ariana's second tattoo, created on March 14, 2014, is an inscription in French at the base of her neck: "Mille Tendresse" (literally "a thousand tendresses"). It's a direct reference to the film Breakfast at Tiffany's (Diamonds sur canapé), her favorite movie of all time, which features her idol Audrey Hepburn.
On the family side, the word "Bellissima" is tattooed in cursive along her ribs. This nickname, which means "very beautiful" in Italian, was given to her by her maternal grandfather Frank, in homage to his Italian roots. She also bears the initials "E.A.G." on her thumb, in memory of the same grandfather.
Discover all our tattoos quotes in French and English for a tattoo with meaning.
Moon, stars and astrology: his celestial signature
The celestial universe is omnipresent in Ariana's tattoos. A crescent moon tattoo adorns her neck, while other lunar and star motifs can be found on her fingers, left hand and left foot. On her left hand, she also sports a Saturn, adding a planetary dimension to this personal constellation.
The crescent moon on her left middle finger symbolizes femininity and intuition. Combined with the Venus symbol she wears on the same finger (created by renowned tattoo artist Dr. Woo), these motifs form a kind of astral map inscribed directly on her skin.
Focus on the hands: the story of the "7 Rings" and Japanese characters
Perhaps the most famous anecdote in Ariana Grande's collection concerns her Japanese kanji tattoo on the palm of her left hand. To celebrate the success of her song "7 Rings", she wanted to tattoo the phrase "Seven Rings" in Japanese. Problem: because of the pain, she left out some of the characters, and the final result read... "small charcoal grill" (shichirin), commonly renamed the "BBQ Grill" tattoo by Internet users.
The error quickly went viral. Ariana attempted a correction by adding additional characters, but admitted that the result was still not perfect. Humorously, she commented on the situation by declaring herself a "fan" of small grills. The tattoo has since been corrected and partially covered. She also bears the inscription "Let's Sing" in Japanese on her arm.
Her hands are masterpieces of ink. They include the name "Toulouse" - her beloved dog - inscribed around her phalanges, the word "baby", laurel leaf motifs, an olive branch, an umbrella, stars, dot tattoos under each fingernail, and the number 561 on her thumb - the zip code for Boca Raton, Florida, where she grew up.
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Career-related tattoos: from "Dangerous Woman" to "Wicked
Ariana often uses tattoos to mark milestones in her musical and film career. We find the letters "SWT" on her hand (for Sweetener World Tour), the word "R.E.M." tattooed behind her right ear (in reference to the title of the Sweetener album), as well as a crescent moon tattoo on her neck, which has become a visual symbol of her "Dangerous Woman" era.
The new "Wicked" tattoos with Cynthia Erivo
The role of Glinda in the film adaptation of Wicked had a profound effect on Ariana, who described it as "the most extraordinary, transformative and beautiful experience of her creative life". Naturally, this adventure resulted in a series of memorable tattoos, often done in duo with her co-star and close friend Cynthia Erivo, in the role of Elphaba.
The confirmed Wicked tattoos include several matching pieces between the two actresses. First, the inscription "For Good" tattooed on each of their palms, in reference to the musical's iconic duo. They did this on opposite hands, so that the tattoos would touch when they held hands. Then there are poppy flowers on the sides of their hands, a nod to the poppy field in The Wizard of Oz. They also wear matching heart tattoos: Ariana's contains an "E" for Elphaba, Cynthia's a "G" for Glinda (the letters also correspond to their surname initials). Finally, the mysterious acronym "WGE" adorns their thighs, although its meaning has not yet been revealed.
Solo artist Ariana had an illustration of Glinda from L. Frank Baum's original 1900 book tattooed on the back of her right hand. She explained that she had waited a long time to fill the hand, looking for "the right motif" - and Glinda was the obvious choice. Director Jon M. Chu humorously revealed that he had advised the two actresses to wait until the film was finished before getting tattoos, but they ignored him and started within the first few days of rehearsals.
Pop culture and geek references: Pokémon, Ghibli and Harry Potter
Ariana's universe is not limited to music. A self-confessed geek, she proudly wears her passions on her skin. Her tattoo of Evoli, the famous Pokémon, sits on her left arm and was created by Kane Navasard after she declared her obsession with the Nintendo Switch game Pokémon: Let's Go Eevee.
On the inside of her right arm is a portrait of Chihiro, the heroine of Studio Ghibli's The Voyage of Chihiro (Spirited Away), directed by Mira Mariah in August 2018. Ariana explained that this character's transformation and inner growth resonated deeply with her.
On the wizarding world side of the famous Harry Potter saga, she once sported the number "9 3/4" on her right index finger (a reference to the famous Hogwarts track) as well as the "Lumos" spell on her hand - both homages to the Harry Potter universe. His ex-fiancé Pete Davidson, also a fan of the saga, shared his passion for tattoos inspired by the magical world.
Jim Carrey, The Truman Show and the Oscars 2025
Ariana Grande has been a die-hard Jim Carrey fan since childhood - her first online pseudonym was "jimcarreyfan42". In 2019, she immortalized this love by tattooing, with her cousin and best friend Courtney Chipolone, an iconic quote from The Truman Show on her shoulder, inscribed upside down. Jim Carrey himself reacted publicly by sending her a personalized drawing.
The tattoo had a further moment of glory at the 2025 Oscars, when Ariana, nominated for Best Supporting Actress for Wicked, wore a Schiaparelli dress that revealed the tattoo inscription on her shoulder. This sartorial detail made the rounds on social networks, with fans seeing it as the perfect cinematic nod to the ceremony.
Love and break-ups: why does Ariana Grande cover up her tattoos?
Ariana's tattoos are also a reflection of her relationships, and some have required touch-ups after break-ups. The best-known example concerns her relationship with Pete Davidson in 2018. During their whirlwind engagement, the two artists tattooed each other: Ariana inscribed the first name "Pete" on her ring finger and the number "8418" on her foot - the badge number of Pete Davidson's father, who died on September 11, 2001.
After their separation, Ariana covered the first name "Pete" with a black heart, then with an abstract motif. The number "8418" was transformed into "Myron", the name of the dog she shared with her ex-boyfriend Mac Miller. She also evolved the word "Always" (tattooed in Pete Davidson's handwriting) by adding a leaf, commenting that it was "not a cover-up, just an evolution".
These cover-ups reveal a healthy, unabashed approach to tattooing: rather than completely erasing the past, Ariana prefers to transform it, adding new layers of meaning to her cutaneous works.
Make-up camouflage: when Glinda hides her tattoos
To play Glinda in Wicked, Ariana had to hide all her visible tattoos under make-up. As the character doesn't wear any ink, the film's make-up artists had to methodically cover her tattoos on her hands, arms, shoulder, neck and ears before each scene. Ariana detailed this process in a behind-the-scenes video, pointing out that some scenes were simplified by wearing gloves in Glinda's costume.
Outside of filming, the singer also resorts to camouflage at major events, using products from her own r.e.m. beauty brand. At the Met Gala 2024, for example, her butterfly tattoos on her arm appeared distinctly blurred. This practice underlines the versatility of tattooing: visible or invisible depending on the context, it remains a personal choice that the singer masters perfectly.
Discover our selection of butterfly tattoos made-to-measure for glamorous style.
Directory by body zone: where are Ariana Grande's tattoos?
Here's an overview of Ariana Grande's main tattooed areas and the designs they feature:
| Zone | Notable tattoos |
|---|---|
| Hands & Fingers | Toulouse, baby, crescent moon, stars, Venus, Glinda (book), For Good, poppy, laurel leaves, 561, Lumos, umbrella, Saturn, olive branch, H2GKMO, finger dots |
| Arms | Evoli (Pokémon), Chihiro, butterflies, Let's Sing (Japanese), Baby, Cinderelly |
| Neck & Nape | Mille Tendresse, crescent moon |
| Ears | Manchester bee, R.E.M., lightning bolt |
| Back & Shoulder | The Truman Show quote (reversed) |
| Ribs | Bellissima |
| Feet & Toes | Heart (1st tattoo), Hi, Myron (ex-8418), moon and stars |
| Thighs | WGE (matching Wicked tattoo) |
Ariana Grande tattoos FAQ
What is Ariana Grande's first tattoo?
Her first tattoo is a small heart on the second toe of her right foot, made in 2012 at the age of 18, during the recording of the album Yours Truly.
How many tattoos does Ariana Grande have in 2025?
Ariana has around 74 listed tattoos, plus 6 as yet unidentified designs. She has also covered up 6 old tattoos. The total number continues to rise steadily.
What is the significance of the bee tattoo behind her ear?
The worker bee is the historic symbol of the city of Manchester, representing its resilience. Ariana got it tattooed as a tribute to the victims of the May 22, 2017 attack during her concert at the Manchester Arena.
What did her Japanese "BBQ Grill" tattoo really mean?
While trying to write "7 Rings" in kanji, Ariana omitted characters due to pain, resulting in "shichirin", or "small charcoal grill". The tattoo has since been corrected and partially covered.
Are the tattoos seen in the short film Brighter Days Ahead real?
No, some of the designs seen in visual projects or on the red carpet are added to make-up or are part of the art direction. Ariana's real tattoos are those documented by the tattoo artists themselves and confirmed on her social networks.
Do Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo really have matching tattoos?
Yes, the two Wicked actresses share several matching tattoos: the inscription "For Good" on their palms, poppy flowers on their hands, hearts with the initials of their respective characters, and the mysterious acronym "WGE". Cynthia Erivo confirmed to the New York Times that they had been tattooed "many times" together.
