Selena Gomez has a surprisingly impressive, ever-growing collection of tattoos and they may just be the chicest designs we’ve ever seen.
For nearly a decade, the “Love You to Lose Me” singer has been embracing the art of permanent ink, using it to represent friends, her work and her religious beliefs.
Her foray into the art form began back in 2012 when she got a music note on the outside of her wrist. While many suspected that it was actually a heart, she clarified to Access Hollywood that it was the eighth note. “Everybody thought that it was a heart for some reason, but music is a big influence in my life,” she told the publication.
From there, she went on to get many more symbols, including a semicolon in honor of the suicide prevention message behind her show 13 Reasons Why as well as an arrow on the base of her thumb, which she got done with a close friend Julia Michaels.
In fact, the former Disney Channel star has gotten many matching tats with friends over the years. In 2018, she got two different numbers inked onto her body to represent her friendships with three BFFS — a “1” on her rib cage that matched Courtney Lopez and a “4” on her arm after the three other girls got “1-3.”
In 2020, she got a neck design that reads “Rare” in script. It was created by her most frequently visited NYC-based tattoo artist, Bang Bang, who has also done work for other A-listers including Katy Perry, Miley Cyrus and Rihanna.
To see all of Gomez’s tattoos and the meanings behind each and every one of them is, keep scrolling.
Credit: Courtesy of Bang Bang Tattoo/Instagram
A Dainty Cross
The “De Una Vez” singer had a delicate cross inked just above her left collarbone following the release of her fourth EP, Revelación, in April 2021. Gomez’s go-to tattoo artist Bang Bang shared a snap of the ink via Instagram, writing, “We [heart] @selenagomez.”
Credit: Courtesy of Selena Gomez/Instagram
“Rare”
In honor of her latest album, on January 15, 2020, the “Lose You to Love Me” singer debuted a neck tattoo that reads “Rare” created by Bang Bang Tattoo in an Instagram post.
Credit: YouTube
Inspired by Her Kidney Transplant
The songstress revealed a numerical design she got inked on her upper arm after her kidney transplant in the “Rare” music video, which dropped on January 10, 2020. She told Capital FM in December of 2019 that she got matching tattoos with Raisa to commemorate the experience. “I actually got the date of when I got my kidney transplant and I did that with the girl who gave me the kidney.”
Credit: Courtesy of Selena Gomez/Instagram
Prayer Hands With Rosary Beads
After performing two new songs at the 2019 American Music Awards on November 24, the former Disney Channel star took to Instagram to show off her massive thigh tattoo. Done by her go-to Bang Bang, the black-and-white shaded design featured two hands in prayer position holding a set of rosary beads.
Credit: Courtesy of Selena Gomez/Instagram
A Matching Arrow
Created by artists London Reese and Brad Reis, Gomez cemented her friendship with Julia Michaels with matching hand tattoo that features a sleek small arrow that sits on the base of their thumbs. “My arrow points to you forever,” she wrote in the Instagram story on November 11, 2019.
Credit: Courtesy of Selena Gomez/Instagram
No. 1
On August 18, 2018, the Wizards of Waverly Place star posted a picture to Instagram of her “1” rib cage tattoo she got done with best friend Courtney Lopez to celebrate their friendship.
Credit: Courtesy of Selena Gomez/Instagram
“4”
The same day she got the number “1” on her ribs she got “4” inked onto her arm with three other friends, which she also posted on Instagram. “4, because you are my 4 for the rest of my life. I love you ladies,” she wrote in the accompanying caption.
Credit: Courtesy of KRAHS/MEGA
A Semicolon
On her wrist, the brunette beauty sports a clean and chic semicolon, which she got done in honor of the show she produced 13 Reasons Why and its messaging. The symbol was made popular by Project Semicolon, a suicide prevention and mental health advocacy group.
Credit: Anthony Harvey/Shutterstock
A Cursive “G”
Originally, many fans suspected this was a “J” in honor of her former beau Justin Bieber, but it was later confirmed to be a “G” in honor of her half-sister Gracie. It’s unknown when she got it done, but remains one of our favorite designs of hers.
Credit: David Buchan/Shutterstock
“Sunshine”
On her foot reads “sunshine” in a beautiful, crisp script. Though it’s never been confirmed it’s believed that it’s a reference to her grandmother who she once referred to as “Sunshine” one Twitter.
Credit: IAN LANGSDON/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
“1976” Written in Roman Numerals
The artist behind the design, Bang Bang, told E! that it “was a tribute to a family member who she said means a lot to her.” This person is suspected to be her mom, Mandy Teefey, who was born in 1976.
Credit: INSTAR Images
The Ohm Symbol
During a beach vacation to Miami in 2015, a Hindu-influenced “Om” symbol was revealed on the left hip of the pop star.
Credit: Matt Baron/Shutterstock
“Love Yourself First” in Arabic
In 2014, Bang Bang gave the actress a 4-inch back tat on the upper right side that’s written in Arabic and loosely translates to “love yourself first.” A bit of a foreshadowing to her hit single “Lose You to Love Me.”
Credit: INSTAR Images
“God Strengthens Me”
During an On Air With Ryan Seacrest interview in 2013, she revealed that she hid the script written across her right hip for almost a year. It reads, “God strengthens me,” which is a quote inspired by the Bible verse Philippians 4:13.
Credit: Jason Merritt/Radarpics/Shutterstock
A Music Note
This was one of — if not the actual — first tattoo the popular artist got back in 2012 on the outside of her wrist. “Everybody thought that it was a heart for some reason, but music is a big influence in my life,” she told Access Hollywood.
Credit: Image Press Agency/NurPhoto/Shutterstock
‘By God’
In May 2022, the “Who Says” singer shared a glimpse of her brand new ink via TikTok. During the video, the Rare Beauty founder can be seen getting the words “By God” tattooed on her right ankle.
