harpersbazaar.com
Move over Taylor Swift’s 1989, because Rihanna‘s ‘1988’ is taking over! The songstress has decided to pay homage to 1988, the year she was born, by getting the digits tatted on her right ankle. Her latest ink job comes courtesy of renowned tattoo artist Bang Bang, who has worked with celebrities such as Miley Cyrus, Cara Delevingne, and Lady Gaga in the past.
RiRi posted a photo of her fresh ink via Instagram on Thursday. She captioned the photo: “Tagged by my dear friend @bangbangnyc.” The photo, which coincidentally has a vintage look like Swift’s 1989 album cover, showcases RiRi’s tattoo adorned by several ankle bracelets. Rihanna was photographed heading into Bang Bang’s studio in New York City on Wednesday (August 12). After getting her ink, Rihanna reportedly hung out with rapper Travis Scott inside the studio.
To date, Rihanna has more than 21 tattoos in various places on her body. Some are as small as the words ‘shhh’ and ‘love’ inked on her fingers, while others are as big as the Egyptian goddess Isis, which Rihanna got etched across her chest in honor of her late grandma, Clara “Dolly” Brathwaite. Rihanna also has a string of stars tattooed along her neck that trail down her back. This design matches ex-boyfriend’s Chris Brown’s tattoo of a trio of stars, which are inked behind his ear.
More than 10 of the pop star’s tattoos have been done by Bang Bang, including the tribal tattoo that covers her entire right hand. Though visually stunning, the tribal tat took 11 hours to create. Bang Bang told a magazine, “She [Rihanna] always flips out [when it’s done] and jumps up and down like a 16-year-old girl getting her first car.”
Rihanna’s visit to the tattoo parlor comes as no surprise as the “Man Down” singer has admitted in the past that getting tattoos is like an addiction for her. She said, “I like hanging out in tattoo shops. I am so intrigued by tattoos. It’s an entire culture, and I study it. Sometimes I go with friends, or just by myself. I get bum-rushed, but I don’t care. I don’t take security.”