Kelsea Ballerini has said her tattoos tell stories about music and faith, her family, and learning to value what makes her different. Her first reads “how sweet the sound,” a line from “Amazing Grace.” She has also explained the meaning behind a “love” tattoo in her parents’ handwriting and one inspired by her song “Square Pegs.”
What does Kelsea Ballerini’s first tattoo say?
It reads “how sweet the sound,” from the hymn “Amazing Grace.” In a June 2016 interview with KRST-FM, Ballerini said the song was the first solo she ever sang. She had wanted a tattoo tied to music and faith, and chose the phrase because grace had been an important theme in her life and the words served as a reminder.
The decision was also more spontaneous than the finished tattoo might suggest. Recalling it on The Late Late Show, as reported by iHeartCountry Radio in September 2022, Ballerini said she got it shortly before her first promotional photo shoot, when she was about 19 or 20. She worried that if her debut single succeeded, people might see a later tattoo as a sudden change. She also said the result was larger and in a different font from what she had wanted.
What does her “love” tattoo mean?
Ballerini said she had the word “love” tattooed using her parents’ handwriting. During the week her single “Love Me Like You Mean It” reached No. 1, she was in New Orleans and received letters from her mother and father. She used their handwriting for the tattoo, turning the milestone into a tribute to both of them, according to the 2016 KRST-FM interview.
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What is the meaning of the “Square Pegs” tattoo?
Ballerini has connected this tattoo to her song “Square Pegs” and its hook, “square pegs make the world go round.” She described the idea as embracing what makes a person different and recognizing that flaws are not necessarily bad; those differences help make someone who they are. Her interview explains the inspiration and meaning, but does not establish the tattoo’s placement or visual design.
Did Kelsea Ballerini get matching tattoos with Chase Stokes?
In a November 2023 interview with Alex Cooper on the Call Her Daddy podcast, Ballerini said she and Chase Stokes got matching Virgo tattoos together. She explained that she had once resented traits she associated with being a Virgo, such as control, but had learned to value them. She also described communication and loyalty as qualities they appreciated. Glamour’s report captures what she said at that time; it is a dated account, not a statement about their current relationship.
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What tattoo did she tease in the “Sorry Mom” video?
In August 2024, iHeart reported that Ballerini’s “Sorry Mom” video showed her getting another tattoo and that she tagged tattoo artist Michelle Santana in an Instagram story. Ballerini also said there were “lil hints all over for what’s next.” The iHeart report confirms the tease but does not identify the tattoo’s design or meaning, so it cannot be reliably described as a tribute to her mother or assigned another interpretation.
What has Ballerini said about her mother’s reaction to tattoos?
In a November 2024 Glamour interview, Ballerini said her mother does not love that she has tattoos. She discussed “Sorry Mom” as part of a coming-of-age conversation: a chance to relate to her mother woman-to-woman and explain choices her mother might not have wanted her to make. The interview does not tie her mother’s feelings to any particular tattoo.
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Is this a complete list of Kelsea Ballerini’s tattoos?
No. The accounts above explain several tattoos or confirm that another was teased, but they do not establish a complete, current inventory or a definitive total. The clearest descriptions of the first three tattoos come from Ballerini’s 2016 interview; later reports add the circumstances behind her first tattoo, the matching Virgo tattoos she described in 2023, and the unidentified tattoo teased in 2024.
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- TATTOO BALM SAFE FOR USE WHILE HEALING: Hustle Butter is not only safe for new tattoos but is the #1 artist recommended tattoo aftercare product to moisturize and nourish skin as the tattoo heals.
- MADE WITH VEGAN AND NATURALLY DERIVED INGREDIENTS: Certified cruelty-free and vegan, our tattoo balm is also petroleum free. It is made from only the finest naturally-derived ingredients, including Shea Butter, Coconut Oil, Mango Seed Butter and Green Tea Extract
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- THE MOST RECOGNIZED NAME IN TATTOO CARE: Back in 2011 Richie Bulldog and Seth Love, staples in the tattoo community, knew tattoos needed more care than what was available on the market. Through their experience with long and painful processes and uncomfortable heals, they made it their mission to build a superior product that could be used before, during, and after tattooing. With the perfection of our flagship product, Hustle Butter Deluxe, a brand was born.
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