When it comes to Karol G’s signature beauty choices, her ever-changing hair color might come to mind, but that’s far from the only form of artistic expression you’ll see from the “Bichota” singer. The trailblazing reggaeton artist, whose real name is Carolina Giraldo Navarro, boasts a meaningful collection that features 21 known pieces of ink. Whether it’s her self-assuring Spanish script or the barbed-wire heart design – each one reflects on her personal growth and serves as a marker of memorable moments in her life.
Still, even in a body-art collection that is so personal, one tattoo, in particular, stands out. On her right forearm sits a beautiful homage to the three women artists who have inspired her endlessly – Rihanna, Selena Quintanilla, and herself. According to Karol, getting her own mug outline inked alongside these two iconic idols is the ultimate expression of self-love. “People should get more tattoos of themselves,” she told GQ in an April 2023 story. “Because only you know how hard things have been for yourself. No one can feel that except you.”
Aside from an ode to her forever musical inspirations, the Columbian singer has a couple of inks that pay tribute to her Latin roots, including the country code “+57” tattooed on her right hand, as well as some that commemorate her musical journey, such as her matching “200 Copas” tattoo with her friends.
Ahead, we’ve rounded up all of Karol G’s tattoos, along with their relevance. Keep reading to see them up close and learn their meanings.
Getty / Albert L. Ortega
Karol G’s “+57” Hand Tattoo
During the same visit to Tatu Baby, Karol added another piece to her body artwork. The singer paid homage to her roots by getting the country code of Columbia, “+57,” inked in small font on the back of her right hand.
Karol G’s “Emmanuel” Thumb Tattoo
The name of Karol’s ex-fiancé and Puerto Rican rapper “Emmanuel” (popularly known as Anuel AA) is inked vertically on the top of her right thumb. The former couple started dating in 2018 and, after getting engaged in 2019, called it quits in April 2021.
Getty / Pascal Le Segretain
Karol G’s “1991” Hand Tattoo
Karol G’s has the year “1991” tattooed horizontally across the back of her right hand in tiny font. (The Columbian singer was born on Feb 14, 1991.)
Getty / Albert L. Ortega
Karol G’s Left and Right Wrist Tattoos
Karol has a valuable life lesson inscribed on the side of her right wrist. “No regrets, just lessons learned,” it reads in cursive handwriting.
Karol G’s Waves Tattoo
The singer has minimalistic oceanic wave outlines inked on the side of her left wrist. The piece is inspired by Karol G’s 2019 album “Ocean.” While sharing the philosophical meaning behind the title, she shed some light on the thematic meaning behind the compilation and, as an extension, the tattoo. “I was in Spain, and I was just watching the ocean,” she said in an interview.
“I was thinking in a very philosophical way, so I was thinking like that blue line, there’s a lot of life, and you just see the line, and down there’s a lot of things that we don’t know because humans just know the 20% of the life in the ocean. So, I did that, like, that same thing in life. You know, the people that you don’t know their lives, what they are living, if they’re happy or not. And that’s the same thing with the music because you just listen to the song, but you know who made it, not what the people were talking about when they composed the song.”
Getty / John Parra
Karol G’s “Hope” Chest Tattoo
The word “Hope” is inked in capital letters in the center of her breast bone.
Getty / Josh Brasted
Karol G’s “G” Forearm Tattoo
Karol’s “G” logo in solid black ink can be seen on the inside of her left forearm near the elbow fold. She got this in 2014 with the help of the tattoo artist Luis Hinestroza.
Karol G’s Magic 8 Ball Tattoo
On Karol G’s top right shoulder, you can see a tiny magic 8 ball design in black ink. While the singer has yet to share its significance to her, the spherical ball is often linked with good fortune and prosperity.
Getty / Telemundo
Karol G’s “Girl Power” Arm Tattoo
On her left bicep, Karol G has the script “Girl Power” tattooed in cursive handwriting. It’s also the name of the management company that she founded.
Getty / Kevin Winter
Karol G’s “AR” Finger Tattoo
Karol G has the letters “AR” tattooed on the side of her middle left finger, which, the singer has previously shared, are the initials of her first love.
Karol G’s “Lealtad De Por Vida” Finger Tattoo
On the side of her right index finger, the singer has the word “Lealtad,” followed by the words “De Por Vida” tattooed on the side of her right middle finger. The Spanish phrase together means “Loyalty for life.” She got this ink during her relationship with rapper Anuel AA, and it appears to be an ode to their time together.
Getty / Pascal Le Segretain
Karol G’s Barbed-Wire Heart Tattoo
The Columbian singer has a heart-shaped barbed-wire tattoo at the top of her left upper arm, which represents a turbulent period of her life, but is also a reminder that she made it out of it stronger than ever. “The tattoo represents a moment in my life where I questioned myself a lot,” she told Allure in a March 2022 story. “I strengthened and weakened myself a lot. It was a very important moment for me personally, not for my career. For Carolina.” The tattoo was done by Tatu Baby in 2021.
Getty / Jason Koerner
Karol G’s Self, Rihanna, and Selena Portrait Tattoo
In 2018, Karol added three portraits to the inside of her right forearm, which pay tribute to the three women she admires the most in the music industry: Rihanna, Selena Quintanilla, and herself. “I went to the tattoo artist, and I told him I wanted a tattoo of the women I most admire in the world,” she shared the genesis of her ink with GQ in an April 2023 interview. “People should get more tattoos of themselves! Because only you know how hard things have been for yourself. No one can feel that except you.” In a different interview with Complex News, she said, “In different ways, they inspired me, those three, because I’m very proud of Karol G, too.”
Getty / RICARDO ARDUENGO
Karol G’s 200 Copas Wrist Tattoo
Karol G marked the release of her 2021 hit “200 Copas” by getting matching tattoos with her friends in the music video for the track. The ink, which is a replica of the single’s artwork, sits on the inside of her right wrist and features the number “200” above the outline of a cocktail glass.
