Beyoncé may have a larger-than-life presence on stage, but when it comes to her body art, she's a true minimalist. The singer only has two known tattoos, both of which are on her fingers and are so subtle that they're easy to miss. What you may not know is that Beyoncé once had a third tat, which she regretted immediately and started the process of getting removed just one week after visiting the tattoo parlour. Since getting that regrettable first tattoo, Beyoncé has chosen her ink carefully, and you can check out the gallery to learn the meanings behind her tiny tattoos [1].
Beyoncé's Angel Tattoo
Beyoncé's first tattoo was an angel on her left hip, which she designed together with famed tattoo artist Mister Cartoon [3]. According to a 2002 Los Angeles Times interview with the artist, Beyoncé visited the studio with "no idea what she wanted," and the two "decided on a small angel in prayer." However, it didn't take long for Beyoncé to regret her decision.
She opened up about the tat [4] — and its subsequent removal — during a 2010 interview with People. "When I was 21, I actually did get a tattoo of an angel that I had painted," she said. "It was very, very beautiful. But the next day I woke up, and I was like, 'Oh my God! What did I do?' So literally the next week, I started getting it removed. It's gone now. I went through so many years of pain. I wish I'd taped it for young people to see." She added that she probably wouldn't get another tattoo until she was older or had children, and only if she was ready for "something that's going to be forever."