A Guide To 10 Katy Perry Tattoos and What They Mean
Katy Perry’s tattoos are not only a testament to her personal journey but also a canvas for her artistic expression. The pop sensation, known for her dynamic music and vibrant persona, has adorned her body with a collection of tattoos that hold significant meaning. From delicate designs to bold statements, this article looks at 10 Katy Perry tattoos that reflect various facets of her life.
One of her most recognized and famous tattoos is the strawberry on her ankle, a symbol of her breakthrough single “I Kissed a Girl.” This emblematic ink embodies her daring spirit and refusal to conform to norms. Another cherished tattoo is the Sanskrit word “Anuugacchati Pravaha,” meaning “Go with the flow.” Positioned on her arm, it serves as a constant reminder to embrace life’s journey without resistance.
Katy’s tattoos often embody connections to loved ones, such as the peppermint on her ankle as a tribute to her album Teenage Dream. These intricate artworks on her body not only tell her story but also showcase her growth, resilience, and the profound moments that have shaped her into the artist and individual she is today.
1. Sanskrit Tattoo
As mentioned in the opening paragraphs, Katy Perry and her ex-husband Russell Brand both got matching tattoos to celebrate their engagement. Inked in the ancient Indian language on the inside of their right biceps, the tattoo reads “Anuugacchati Pravaha,” which translates to “Go with the flow.”
West Ham United fan Russell Brand proposed to Perry while the two were on holiday in Jaipur, India, in December 2009. They returned to India less than a year later in October 2010 and were married in a traditional Hindu ceremony. Sadly it wasn’t happily ever after, with the two filing divorce papers in January 2012.
2. “XLIX” Tattoo
In 2015, Super Bowl XLIX was held at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. In the match, the New England Patriots defeated the Seattle Seahawks 28-24 in one of the all-time classic Super Bowls. The halftime entertainment wasn’t bad either, with Katy Perry wowing the 70,000+ in attendance.
To celebrate her performance, Perry got the Roman numerals “XLIX” (standing for 49) inked on the inside of her right ring finger. She got the tattoo just a few hours after taking the stage where she played a medley of her hits, including “Roar,” “Teenage Dream,” “California Gurls,” and “I Kissed a Girl” with Lenny Kravitz.
Getting tattoos after gigs has become the norm for Perry, who often gets ink with her team to celebrate the end of a successful tour.
3. Lotus Flower Tattoo
Of all her tattoos, this is one Katy Perry has not spoken about. It’s believed she got the outline of a Lotus flower on her right wrist in 2012. According to Byride, lotus flower tattoos “represent rising above temptation and becoming a better person.”
4. “Jesus” Tattoo
The first tattoo Katy Perry ever got inked was the word “Jesus” on her left wrist. Written in cursive font, Perry got the tattoo not long after she turned 18. Growing up in a religious family—both her parents are evangelical ministers—it’s no surprise Petty got a tattoo referencing her faith.
Perry opened up about her beliefs in a 2019 interview with Paper. Suffering from situational depression after her 2017 album Witness received less than stellar reviews, she attended a week-long therapy program at Hoffman Process. “I’ve never felt closer to God,” she explained. “I’ve never felt so much release and relief.”
5. Strawberry Tattoo
On the inside of Katy Perry’s left ankle is a cute tattoo of a smiling strawberry. This is one of several cartoon-style tattoos Perry has on her body. The “Firework” singer took to Twitter in July of 2009 to let her fans know she was “Thinking bout getting my 2nd tattoo 2night! I wanna get a cartoon-ish strawberry to celebrate this amazeballs past 15 months…”
Soon after she got the tattoo of one of her favorite fruits. Strawberries have been a big part of Perry’s musical career, often appearing as stage props on her tours or as part of her costumes.
6. Peppermint Tattoo
Katy Perry got a smiling tattoo of a peppermint on her right ankle to match the strawberry on her left. Steal Her Style reports that the smiling peppermint tattoo inked in November 2011, highlights her candy-themed Teenage Dream album. The smiling strawberry tattoo is said to reference her One of the Boys album.
As previously mentioned, Perry and her crew often get tattoos at the end of each tour. It’s believed this was the case with the peppermint tattoo that many of the touring party got along with Perry. Steal the Style reports that famous tattooist Keith “Bang Bang” McCurdy was flown out by Perry to ink the peppermint tattoo on her and her crew.
7. Hello Kitty Tattoo
A big fan of the fictional character Hello Kitty, Perry was ecstatic when she found out they shared the same star sign. Both are Scorpios, with Perry born on October 25 while Hello Kitty came to life on November 1.
Celebrating the 40th anniversary of Hello Kitty, Perry got a tattoo of the feline on her finger on October 30, 2014.
8. Cherry Blossom Tattoo
Adding to her collection of cartoon-style tattoos is this tatt of a cherry blossom that’s also found on Perry’s right ankle. Katy Perry got the ink in November 2013. Nobody is quite sure of the meaning behind the colorful tattoo, but another of her ex-partners, John Mayer, also has a similar tattoo design on his wrist, leading many to believe the two got the tattoos together.
9. Prism Tattoo
After touring the world promoting and performing songs off her Prism album, Perry got this tattoo to commemorate the tour. Another ankle tattoo—this one on her left ankle—the prism tattoo features a smiling face and a rainbow color scheme.
Like the majority of her tattoos, this one was inked by Keith “Bang Bang” McCurdy. He accompanied Perry on tour for several weeks, tattooing Perry and her crew. “I always bring Bang Bang in for my most special tattoos—the ones my touring team and I get at the end of a tour to commemorate another successful journey together,” Steal the Style documents. “Each time, he’s created the definitive symbol of that era of my life.”
10. Saturn Tattoo
After the completion of her “Witness Tour” in 2018, Perry and many of her crew got this tattoo of Saturn inked on their body. Changing things up, Perry flew out Los Angeles-based tattoo artist Dr. Woo to Sydney instead of using her usual tattooist Bang Bang.
The tattoo is very different from the cartoon artwork of Bang Bang and features the planet Saturn as an eye in an intricate design. Taking to Instagram to share the tattoo, Perry wrote; “The end of tour tattoo tradition continues with #4 by the gentle precisionist @_dr_woo_ The planet in the middle is Saturn as this journey has taught me many lessons with a few tears along the way BUT I am happy to report a sense of real resilience as we wrap. I share this insignia with 45 other tour mates and moreover an incredible year of memories with over 100 beautiful & kind humans and a numerous amount of gracious attendees #2moretogo #WitnessTheTour #Resilient 👁❤️”
