The Journey and Meaning Behind My Tattoos

When asked how many tattoos I have, I always answer that I can’t really count them. To me, they all blend together as one, like a single tattoo. People often say I look like a melted crayon, but the truth is, I grew up in an artistic household, surrounded by colorful paintings, which deeply influenced my love for color and creativity.

From a young age, I was surrounded by vibrant, creative things. My mom painted our bedroom in bright colors, and the atmosphere of creativity shaped my love for bright hues. So, when I started getting tattoos, I simply thought, “I love color.” My first tattoo was a tiny paw print, and I remember thinking, “This is going to be my only tattoo.” Of course, that didn’t last. The first one I got was at Christina Perri’s brother’s tattoo shop in 2010, right after I turned 18. I had been doodling that paw print on my skin with a permanent marker for years, and when I finally got it tattooed, I thought that would be it. But, as you can guess, I ended up with many more.

One of the most meaningful tattoos I have is three boxing gloves, which I got right before performing at Madison Square Garden. My dad always told me, “If you can make it in New York, you can make it anywhere.” It was a huge moment for me to perform there, and the three boxing gloves symbolize my grandfather, who was a boxer and worked in boxing. He had just passed away, so the tattoo also holds sentimental value as a tribute to him.

Another important tattoo is the word “Red,” which I got in 2012 after being featured on Taylor Swift’s album Red. It’s a reminder of a pivotal time in my life when I was living in the U.S. and later joined The Red Tour. I’m not sure what Taylor thought of my tattoo back then, but I imagine she might’ve been curious about why I chose to get it.

My favorite tattoo right now is a little bunny rabbit drawn by my daughter. It’s on me in a place no one really sees, but I look at it every day, and it holds a special meaning for me. I also have the footprints of my children tattooed on my back—those prints came from the moment they were born, and I cherish them deeply.

One of the most surreal experiences of my life was going to Antarctica, which I believe is one of the most amazing places on Earth. Seeing orcas breach the surface for the first time was breathtaking. And when I first saw a penguin, I was so excited, but by the end of the trip, I had seen so many penguins that I was like, “Oh, it’s just another penguin.” My daughter’s name was actually inspired by Antarctica, which adds even more significance to that place and to my life.

Some of my tattoos are tributes to friends I’ve lost. I have a “1” on my finger for my friend Michael, who passed away, and a “SB.TV” tattoo for Jamal, another friend who’s no longer with us. They both played significant roles in my career, and I wanted them with me, especially on my guitar-playing hand, so they’re always by my side.

I remember meeting Damien Rice when I was very young, just before I began writing songs seriously. I was at an under-18 show in Dublin with my cousin, and after the concert, I met Damien in the bar. He signed my album and drew a stick figure of me with a plane above me, symbolizing the journey I had taken with my dad to Ireland. That moment marked the beginning of my musical career.

Another tattoo that holds a lot of meaning for me is the lyrics “Everything that happens is from now on” from the song re: stacks by Bon Iver. I had spoken to Gary Lightbody of Snow Patrol about how we both loved this lyric, and we talked about getting it tattooed. When I met Gary in Suffolk, where I live, I managed to get him to write the lyric in his handwriting, and I got it tattooed. Although Gary decided not to get it, he doesn’t have any tattoos anyway, so I was more than happy to carry it with me.

As for matching tattoos, I have one with Harry Styles. We both got tattoos of “Pingu”—I got the penguin, and he got the word “Pingu” written. Although I think Harry later covered his with an anchor, which is definitely cooler, it was still a fun moment.

One of the more humorous tattoos I have is from the video for Galway Girl with Saoirse Ronan. During filming, we joked about misspelling “Galway Grill,” and that joke ended up circulating, even though it was planned. Saoirse actually gave me the tattoo in the video, though I don’t think she’s tattooed anyone else since!

I also have a tattoo of Heinz ketchup from Pittsburgh, a koala from Australia, and when I was thinking about what to get from Philadelphia, I decided on “Prince,” as I’m a huge fan of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. These tattoos reflect the places I’ve traveled and the memories I’ve made along the way.

When I played Wembley Stadium in 2015, I had a tattoo that’s still one of my proudest achievements. Wembley is the biggest stadium in the UK and the home of English football, so I got four mathematical symbols—plus, multiply, divide, and subtract—tattooed around my wrist. These symbols represented the albums I planned to create, and “Equals” was added later as part of the journey.

Of all my tattoos, the most painful one was a massive piece of the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona. It took eight hours, and the pain was intense, but it was worth it. The more tattoos I get, the more painful they seem to become, as my body tells me, “Please stop doing this!”

But despite the pain, each tattoo holds a special meaning, reminding me of important moments, people, and experiences in my life and career. And as I continue on this journey, I know there will be even more tattoos to come.