Okay, so it’s no secret that Demi Lovato loves getting tattoos. And by “loves,” I mean LOOOVES, y’all. But despite Demi’s appreciation for adding art to the never-ending canvas that is her body, she—unlike some other celebrities I will not mention in this post—always manages to get a tattoo that holds a really special meaning for her. So since you’ve probably been looking at Demi’s tattoos like a road map (confusion optional), here’s every single one she currently has on her body…decoded for your convenience, of course.

“Peace” and “Rock & Roll”
No real explanation here besides the fact that Demi loves rock and roll music…and peace.

Butterfly on Her Neck
Demi showed off her second neck tattoo on Instagram, writing, “Dear little me, I’m sorry that it took so long but baby your [sic] free. ☺️💖” Given the context of Demi’s post, the butterfly represents her free spirit and her constant state of evolving.

Blue Feather
Finally—a tattoo that Demi got just because! True story: Demi told Hollywood Life back in 2010 (wow, a whole decade ago) that the feather has no meaning. She only got it because she thought it was cute. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Trigger warning: This section mentions self-harm.

After checking out of rehab in 2011 to deal with issues of cutting and eating disorders, Demi got the words “stay strong” on her wrists to cover up the scars and serve as a reminder to stay positive.

Nothing too deep here—these Roman numerals represent the birth dates of her family members. Hate to get all math-y on ya, but here’s what they translate to, from top to bottom:

VIII VIII MCMLXII: 8/8/1962 (mother’s birthday)
II IV MCMLXXXVIII: 2/4/1988 (older sister’s birthday)
XII XXVIII MMI: 12/27/2001 (younger half-sister’s birthday)
II XIV MCMLXIII: 2/14/1963 (stepfather’s birthday)
X XXIII MCMLX: 10/23/1960 (biological father’s birthday)

“Now I’m a Warrior”
Demi loooves getting ink that has a relationship to her albums, so on the day her self-titled album came out in 2013, she went right to the tattoo shop and slapped a lyric from the album’s closing track, “Warrior,” right on her back.

During an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Demi said the song is about “a negative thing turned positive” and added that “[the tattoo] was kind of like a tribute to releasing the album as well as overcoming some really, really difficult things in my life.”

Roses
Demi initially had a kissy pair of lips on the inside of her wrist (see previous slide) that was part of a friendship tattoo but covered it up in 2015 with this cluster of roses. Just gonna take a wild guess and say that this is probably her fave flower!

Another sad tat alert: After Demi’s biological father passed away in 2013, she got this Roman numeral inked on her wrist because it was her dad’s favorite number.

“It’s the Roman numeral three. It means a lot to me because my dad, it was his, like, number,” she said in an interview with Craig Ferguson from 2013. “He passed this summer and I wanted to do something positive.” Demi’s dad was also a huge fan of Nascar racer Dale Earnhardt, whose car number was 3.

“Me” and Pinkie Finger Smiley Face
Perhaps my favorites of Demi’s tattoos, these and the meanings behind them are just too cute not to love. The “me” on Demi’s ring finger is so she remembers to put herself first, and the adorable smiley face is a reminder not to take herself too seriously, because in her words, “Life’s too short not to tattoo your pinkie 😂.” Gotta love it.

Her Grandmother, Mimaw, on Her Left Forearm
Legit one of the most realistic tattoos I have ever seen, this serves as a tribute to her loving grandmother, who gets to stay forever young on her arm. “This is for you, Mimaw. You at 26 on my arm while I’m 26, and forever. I love you more,” Demi shared on Instagram. “Thank you @_Dr_Woo_ for making her come back to life for me…it’s stunning and the most meaningful tattoo I have ever gotten.”

Rose Finger Tattoo
Did I mention that Demi loves roses? Fans speculated that she got this dainty index finger tat in January 2019 after celebrating six months of sobriety. Demi hasn’t confirmed that theory, but it’s cute regardless.

“You Make Me Beautiful” in a Dream Catcher
Ah, another Demi tattoo inspired by a song—but with a twist! “You make me beautiful” isn’t from any song Demi’s ever written. It’s a snippet from the Bethany Dillon song “Beautiful,” and it’s representative of her relationship with her faith.

Her Dog, Buddy
In 2015, Demi’s dog Buddy sadly passed away after being attacked by a coyote. To honor the pup, she got the writing “Buddy was here” on her foot shortly after the incident and then added an image of her dog’s face above the writing in 2019.

Lion’s Face on Her Left Hand
Curious as to why Demi has a whole-ass lion on her hand? There’s a meaning for that—in August 2017, she revealed that it’s representative of her song “Lionheart,” which talks about finding courage within yourself. Oh, and she’s also a Leo, which probably adds to it.

Do these birds looks familiar to you? If not, they totally should, considering the fact that these birds are the same ones that appeared on the cover of Demi’s book, Staying Strong: 365 Days a Year. The birds represent freedom, but this tat also has a connection to Demi’s doing the Alcoholics Anonymous 12-step recovery program.

After revealing that she broke her six years of sobriety in her heartfelt song “Sober,” Demi got the word “free” tattooed onto her pinkie. Demi’s manager, personal assistant, hairstylist, makeup artist, and bodyguard also got the word tattooed on their pinkies to support her.

“Survivor” on Her Neck
In the past decade, Demi has gone through a lot in her life. So it only makes sense that she’d get the word “survivor” tatted on her as a symbol for everything she’s been through.

Fallen Angel Suspended by Doves
Let’s start with the most recent tat, shall we? Demi got this breathtaking design on her back in December and revealed that she and her go-to artist, Alessandro Capozzi, came up with the idea on the spot after she reflected on everything she’s been through in the past few years.

“Having a fallen angel being lifted by three pure, angelic doves (the Holy Trinity) as her inner light is being guided by a higher consciousness and the disintegration of her dark wings was representing the darkness I was shedding,” Demi said on Instagram.