Miley Cyrus has a massive tattoo collection [1] that seems to grow as the days go by. The "Midnight Sky" [2] singer got her first piece of ink in 2009 at the age of 17, and she hasn't stopped since. Unlike many other celebrities who have their go-to tattooist they visit time and again, Cyrus's tattoos are the work of various artists, and there are some very special meanings behind several of them.
Cyrus got her most recent design back in March of 2019 [3], right before most of the country was directed to stay home due to the spread of COVID-19. In an Instagram photo shared by Los Angeles-based artist Nico Bassill [4] at the time, she was seen showing off her latest body art, which was an illustration of a piece by Henri Matisse. Before that, Cyrus got a handwritten note she received from Yoko Ono [5] traced onto her shoulder.
There's plenty more where those came from, too. Read ahead for a brief guide to some of Miley Cyrus [6]'s most meaningful tattoos.
Miley Cyrus's Tattoos: "Just Breathe" Tattoo
Cyrus's first tattoo ever was the phrase "just breathe" on her rib cage in December 2009, which was reportedly done as a tribute to her close friend Vanessa, who died of cystic fibrosis, and both of her grandfathers, who died of lung cancer.
The "just breathe" tattoo is joined by a moving image dedicated to her late dog, Floyd, who passed away in April 2014 [7], and a naked woman standing in a body of water.
Miley Cyrus's Tattoos: Smiley-Face Tattoo
In 2014, Cyrus and her best friend, Cheyne Thomas, gave each other matching smiley-face tattoos.
Miley Cyrus's Tattoos: "LOVE" Tattoo
The singer has a tattoo of the word "LOVE" on the inside of her right ear that she got in 2010. She opened up about why she got it done in an interview with E! News [8].
"There's so much negativity in the world and what you only need to hear is all the love," she said. "People try to say to me, 'I just heard someone say this or that about you,' and I just ignore it because it's irrelevant. Love is what makes the world go around, and that's all we need to focus on."
Miley Cyrus's Tattoos: Heart Tattoo
Cyrus's right hand has nine tiny tattoos, total. That includes the heart on her pinky finger, which is a matching tattoo that she got with her mum, Tish Cyrus.
Miley Cyrus's Tattoos: Tattoo of Her Grandmother
In addition to an animal tooth, roman numerals, an anatomically correct heart, and the words "I'm in your corner" with Johnny Cash's signature, her right arm is home to a portrait of her grandmother.
Miley Cyrus's Tattoos: Dream-Catcher Tattoo
In February 2011 at the age of 18, the singer got the image of a dream catcher tattooed on the right side of her torso, which represents her four brothers and sisters.
Miley Cyrus's Tattoos: Teddy Roosevelt Quote Tattoo
Back in 2012, Cyrus and her then-boyfriend, Liam Hemsworth, got coordinating tattoos on their left arms of quotes from Theodore Roosevelt.
The singer had hers done in July of that year and chose an excerpt from the former president's legendary "Citizenship in a Republic" speech: "So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat."
A few months later, Hemsworth picked a line from the same speech that reads, "If he fails, at least fails while daring greatly," which many assume is missing a "he." Oops.
Miley Cyrus's Tattoos: Anchor Tattoo
Cyrus also has an anchor tattoo on her right wrist that she got done in Brazil in May 2011 by the artist Fabio Satori [9].
Miley Cyrus's Tattoos: Pablow the Blowfish Tattoo
Cyrus has more than one tattoo dedicated to her pets. After writing a song about her blowfish, Pablow [10], following its death in 2015, she went to famed celebrity tattoo artist, Dr. Woo [11], to get a piece of ink in its memory.
Miley Cyrus's Tattoos: Mary Jane Tattoo
On her right forearm sits a portrait of her pitbull, Mary Jane.
Miley Cyrus's Tattoos: Floyd Tattoo
After Floyd's passing in 2014, the singer got a tattoo of him inside a bubble alongside the words, "With a little help from my fwends."