Lorde has spoken about one tattoo: a thin red line on the back of her left hand. A scratch from her dog Pearl left a scar. When the middle began to fade, she asked tattoo artist Alma Proença to “connect it.” Lorde shared the story with New Zealand magazine Metro in 2021.
The design follows an existing mark instead of adding a new symbol. Its loose shape is part of the point.
The red line on her hand
The photo shows one red line running diagonally across the back of Lorde’s left hand. There’s no border, lettering or extra image around it. It resembles the scar she wanted to keep, rather than a conventional tattoo design.
The red pigment also keeps the line close to the original mark. A crisp black stripe would have given it a different look.
A mark that keeps a scar from disappearing
The tattoo follows the parts of the scar that remained as its center faded. That makes the design a continuation of the mark, not a replacement for it.
Hands are washed, flexed and rubbed often, and they get plenty of sun. Fine lines can soften, while red ink may change as it heals. Anyone considering a similar piece should ask an experienced tattooer about placement, aftercare and the chance of needing a touch-up.
Lorde’s visual style is built for details
Lorde moves between understated portraits, theatrical stage clothes, futuristic album imagery and everyday outfits. The hand line doesn’t require one particular look; it can sit beside rings, bracelets or a bare wrist without taking over.
Its shape shifts as her hand opens and curls. That makes the mark feel more like a line following the skin than a graphic placed on top of it.
Alma Proença and the artist behind the line
Lorde told Metro she had known of Proença and followed her work since they were teenagers. The request was specific: keep the shape of the scar and join the sections that were still visible.
Proença’s work often draws on natural forms, animals and plants. Here, the loose line keeps the uneven quality of the original mark. Making it perfectly straight would have changed the idea.
A video world with a physical edge
In the 2025 “Hammer” video, Proença appears behind the needle while Lorde is shown getting tattooed outdoors. That scene is part of the video’s imagery; it doesn’t establish a second permanent tattoo or identify a finished design.
Music videos can use temporary ink, makeup or body paint. The hand line remains the tattoo Lorde has explained in her own account; the “Hammer” scene is context, not proof of another piece.
Small marks disappear in big photographs
A microphone, sleeve, low light or the angle of a performance shot can hide Lorde’s hand. In a wide photo, the red line may look like a crease or stray mark.
A clear close-up and Lorde’s explanation are better evidence than a blurry image. When a mark isn’t legible, it’s fair to leave the details open rather than guess.
The value of an ordinary memory
The design doesn’t turn the story into a portrait of Pearl or a paw print. It keeps the shape of the original scratch. That’s one way to build a tattoo around a real memory without spelling out the whole story in the image.
If you’re starting from a scar or another mark, decide whether you want to follow it, frame it or leave it as it is. The simplest version may be the one that keeps the original detail intact.
A restrained visual language
Lorde’s tattoo collection doesn’t need to be large for this piece to stay recognizable. The line is visible when the camera gets close, but it doesn’t have to lead every photograph or outfit.
If the design appeals to you, work out whether it’s the red color, the hand placement, the irregular line or the connection to a memory that matters. A custom idea based on your own life will fit better than asking an artist to copy Lorde’s exact mark.
Closing thought on a quiet mark
Lorde’s red line follows a fading scar left by Pearl and was shaped with Alma Proença’s help. Its small scale suits the story: she wanted to keep a mark that was already hers.
The video below shows the “Hammer” visual world around tattooing: