Kat Von D has transformed. She’s tattoo-free. She sold her beauty brand. She traded the hustle and bustle of the city for a quiet rural life in Indiana. She’s a regular churchgoer, she doesn’t drink alcohol, she has a young son, and she’s covered up her old tattoos. But don’t be fooled: this creative icon is as edgy and authentic as ever; she’s just cultivating another passion these days: music.
You probably know Von D from her days as a serious tattoo artist on the TLC reality show Miami Ink in 2005. After two seasons, she packed her bags (and her tattoo machine) and headed to Los Angeles to open her own shop and produce the spin-off show LA Ink. The show was a huge hit, solidifying Von D’s reputation and catapulting her to mainstream celebrity, but her real love was music.
“Music has always been my biggest passion,” Von D explains, “but I probably spent 10 or 20 years filming TV shows and running my old cosmetics line.” She started playing piano at age six and is classically trained, but as a teenager she fell in love with the punk rock style of The Misfits and The Ramones. “I don’t necessarily regret the little empire I’ve built over the years, but I do wish I had released music sooner.”
But don’t think that Von D is just another celebrity itching to make an album; music is in her blood and it’s her lifelong artistic pursuit. “Naturally, people were skeptical when they heard I was making music,” she says. “And that’s completely understandable. There aren’t that many great examples of someone going from the entertainment industry to the music industry and being taken seriously.”
Of course, Von D is used to criticism; she was a reality TV star, and over the past decade she’s faced plenty of scandals and headlines that would have devastated a lesser woman. But she’s developed a strong mind and a calm demeanor. “I think social media can sometimes make the negative sound louder than the good, even if it’s a small percentage, but you have to find a way to not let it bother you, or at least not get bogged down in it,” she said, acknowledging that it hurts sometimes and that “I get a little angry sometimes, but mostly I’m just angry at the ignorance of the haters.”
Speaking of haters, Von D’s current transformation – covering up her old colorful tattoos with jet black ink – has caused quite a stir online. “I think for a long time I’ve been tired of a lot of the tattoos I’ve gotten over the years,” she explains. The tattoo icon says she began her blackout process by reaching out to tattoo artist Hude on Instagram, inviting him to her studio to get inked on her arm. “I can’t tell you how satisfying it was to watch him clean up the stains with a blackout tattoo,” she says. “I think at the time I was just going to blacken my arm, but I soon realized I was going to get my whole body inked.” She knows it’s controversial, but she loves it and has embraced her role as an agent of chaos in the tattoo world.
But Von D has faced much bigger battles than a few internet trolls. She’s also been the subject of a high-profile copyright lawsuit that she calls a “nightmare.” In 2017, photographer Jeff Cedric sued Von D for getting a portrait tattoo inspired by a 1989 photo of jazz legend Miles Davis. She claims the suit was simply an attempt by the photographer to get his “15 minutes of fame and a big payday.” After a two-year legal battle, a jury ruled in Von D’s favor in 2019.
“I know firsthand what it’s like to be scammed, and there is not a single part of me that believes fan art tattoos are a crime,” Von D. stated. “I’m very grateful that the jury took their time to reach a unanimous decision. I feel like setting a precedent like this will help tattoo artists and other artists in the future.”
It was a difficult, exhausting and dark process for Von D. “I lost weight, my hair fell out, and it kept me up at night,” she says. “There were times I wanted to settle just to be done with it, even though I knew this person didn’t deserve a dime from me. But I knew if I didn’t fight, the damage to the tattoo industry and other artists would be too great and I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself.”
Eventually, Von D decided to take a breath, take a step back, and reset. She and her husband, Rafael Reyes, and their son, Leafer, moved from the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles to a small town in Indiana. “We traded city life for a simple life in the middle of nowhere in rural Indiana, and we love it,” she says. “We’ve even bought a beautiful piece of land where we plan to build a farm once we’re done renovating our Victorian house.”
Vuong D. said she finds great joy in homeschooling her son, which is how she starts most days. Additionally, she regularly attends church and participates in women’s Bible study and choir practice, all part of a new chapter focused on the faith she rediscovered about a year ago before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fans needn’t worry; Von D shows no signs of stopping creatively. The artist finally shared his musical side with the world with his debut album, Love Made Me Do It, released in 2021. The synth-pop record features Von D’s vocal and songwriting talents and includes collaborations with industry legends such as Dave Grohl, Linda Perry, Peter Murphy, and Danny Lohner. It’s a star-studded roster of creators who won’t take on a project with just any vocal artist.
She continues to build on that momentum with her recently released music video and single “Dead.” Directed by Ryan Valdez, who has worked with talented bands such as Korn and Rise Against, the video captures the vibe of 1980s aerobic dance moves reminiscent of Jane Fonda’s popular workouts of the time, her romantic yet melancholic voice, and her bold and beautiful black aesthetic.
For now, tattooing has taken a back seat, but the entrepreneur plans to eventually open a personal studio in her small town in Indiana. “Right now, I’m gearing up for the release of my new album and the subsequent months of touring,” she says. “Music is my main focus right now.”
Von D is determined to push her creative limits like never before with this new record, due for release in late 2024. “It’s a dream come true to finally be able to release my music and get on the road with my bandmates,” she says. “Performing my music live is so exciting for me.”
Von D has brought pop songwriters like Ferras (Katy Perry, Dua Lipa) and Shari Short (Miley Cyrus, Ariana Grande) into her goth world to venture into darker territory and create a masterpiece that fans can’t wait to see. “I think songwriters are the real MVPs of music and they’re so under-appreciated,” she says.
For Von D, making the album was hard work. She took a workhorse approach, intentionally scheduling time for creative work. “It might sound forced to some, but for me, when I’m trying to balance multiple projects, it’s the only way I can get things done,” she admits. “So this new album was born out of a few months of working 9-to-5, five days a week, holed up in a room with my bandmates and songwriting friends.”
The hard work has paid off, with Von D’s loyal fans embracing her new musical direction. “The connection I’ve been able to make with my fans through my music has made an impact like no other before, and I’m so grateful,” she says. For her, the most rewarding thing is knowing her music resonates deeply with listeners.
“The most fulfilling thing about putting music out there is when someone else, someone they’ve probably never met, is inspired or moved by what they’ve done,” says Von D. “Music is our lifeline. It’s the soundtrack to our weddings, our heartaches, our workouts. And just like tattoos, songs become landmarks over time.”
No matter what creative territory Von D explores, she brings the same level of passion, skill, and integrity that has made her the power star we all know. She’s a true original who isn’t afraid to evolve and take risks in the pursuit of her art. With a new album, tour, and evolving chapter in her life, there’s no telling how far she’ll go.
