Audiences at Cheryl Cole's performance with Girls Aloud last February caught a small glimpse of her new floral tattoo, but not until recently did fans get a good look at the bold artwork on her body.
Celebrity tattoos tend to elicit extreme reactions from fans, and this case was no different. After the pop star's tattoo artist posted a photo on Instagram of her entire rear covered in English roses, Twitter was buzzing with comments about her ink. Cole immediately responded, explaining her decision to cover her bottom in blooms.
"I have personal meaning behind it but English roses are my favorite flowers," she wrote. "People are entitled to their own opinion. Personally I've never really concerned myself with other people's body parts!"
It's no surprise that the tat got people talking, as it extends across her entire lower back and derriere. This isn't necessarily fresh ink, though – Cole admitted that she has had the tattoo for almost eight months, and just recently had it detailed. So how long was she under the needle for this design? The Daily Mail reported that the tattoo took a whopping fifteen hours to complete, and apparently, Cole got through the session by singing.
Turning the tattoo tables
The well-respected tattoo artist Nikko Hurtado, who is based in Los Angeles, is responsible for the jaw-dropping piece. Cole returned the favor by inking Hurtado and posting the proof on Instagram. The two have formed a friendship over the course of their work together, and Hurtado even gave Cole a few lessons on how to create art with a needle.
This isn't her first tattoo – Cole already has about 20 different pieces on her body. This is definitely the most dramatic one she's gotten, though, and it cost her a pretty penny: more than $23,000, a source at Black Anchor Collective tattoo studio in Hesperia, Calif. told Yahoo News. At one point, the 29-year-old singer had a totally different tattoo on her lower back. Cole's groupmate Sarah Harding noted that the enormous blossoming flowers were a coverup, potentially of the black butterfly that was there before. It's evident that even stars have tattoo regret. Also, it appears as though this might have been her final session in the parlor. The caption under a photo of her inking Hurtado indicated that he produced her first – and last – tattoo.
As for the other members of Girls Aloud, some are a little more cautious when it comes to ink than Cole. Now Magazine reported that Kimberley Walsh is tat-free, and plans to stay that way.
"It's something I'm scared of," the singer admitted. "I'm not as impulsive as Cheryl – I'm never brave enough."
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* Source: Harris Interactive, 2013
