Tattoos are usually stories, or at least they’re supposed to be. But with the laina grimes heart tattoo, the story feels more like a shared secret between a Canadian pop-experimentalist and a fan base that dissects her every pixel. Honestly, if you’ve spent any time in the corner of the internet dedicated to Claire Boucher—better known as Grimes—you know that her body is basically a living gallery of "post-human" experiments.
But let's clear something up right away. People often search for "Laina Grimes," likely mixing up the singer with Laina Morris (the legendary "Overly Attached Girlfriend" from the 2010s). While Morris has her own viral history, it’s the musician Grimes who turned a simple heart outline into a cult-favorite piece of body art.
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It’s small. It’s simple. And yet, it’s everywhere on Pinterest boards for "alt-girl" aesthetics.
The Mystery of the Laina Grimes Heart Tattoo
For a long time, the heart tattoo was one of the most visible pieces of ink on Grimes. It’s an outline of a heart, usually spotted on her left bicep or shoulder area, depending on which mirror selfie you’re analyzing.
Unlike her massive, sprawling "alien scars" backpiece that looks like something out of a Ridley Scott film, the heart is humble. It’s almost "sticker-style."
Why do people care? Well, Grimes has this way of making the mundane feel futuristic. Even a basic heart looks intentional when paired with her stick-and-poke Russian lettering and Triforce symbols. It represents the early era of her career—the Visions and Art Angels days—before she started talking about neural links and Martian colonies.
Where is it exactly?
Most fan documentation and photos from 2018–2020 show the heart on the upper part of her arm. It’s a thin, black-ink outline. No shading. No "Mom" banner. Just a clean, somewhat punk-rock silhouette.
Is it still there?
This is where it gets tricky. Grimes is a fan of "evolving" her skin. She has been open about getting laser treatments to fade older tattoos to make room for new, more complex designs. In some newer photos, especially those showcasing her red ink face tattoos from late 2025, the heart seems much lighter. Some fans on Reddit have even mourned its fading, calling it the "RIP heart era."
Matching Ink and Meaning
Grimes doesn't usually do things alone. She’s famous for matching tattoos. She has a Triforce with her brother. She has matching "alien" scripts with fellow artists.
Rumor has it the heart might have been part of a matching set or a "best friend" tattoo from her early years in the Montreal DIY scene. While she hasn't written a 1,000-word manifesto on this specific heart—unlike her "white ink alien scars" which she says reflect her "altered mind"—the simplicity is the point.
It’s a relic.
In the world of high-concept fashion and AI-generated music, a simple hand-drawn heart is a reminder of the human behind the "Artificial Angel."
Why Everyone Is Copying This Design
Go to any "alt" tattoo shop in Brooklyn or East London and you’ll see someone asking for a "Grimes heart." It’s become a shorthand for a specific kind of 2010s tumblr-meets-cyberpunk vibe.
- Ease of Access: It’s a beginner-friendly tattoo.
- Placement: The upper arm/shoulder spot is easy to hide but looks "cool" in a tank top.
- Aesthetic: It fits the "curated mess" look that Grimes perfected.
The "Claire’s" Connection
Interestingly, some fans call it the "Claire’s heart tattoo." No, not because of the mall store (though that would be very Grimes-esque irony), but because it’s so synonymous with her real name, Claire Boucher. It’s the kind of tattoo you get when you’re 19 and feeling immortal in a basement in Quebec.
What You Should Know Before Getting Your Own
If you’re looking to replicate the laina grimes heart tattoo, don't just go to a shop and ask for a heart. The "Grimes version" is about the line weight. It’s thin. It’s slightly imperfect.
If it’s too perfect, it loses the "DIY" soul that made it famous.
Also, consider the longevity. Thin line tattoos on the bicep tend to blur or fade faster than thicker traditional work. Grimes herself has seen her ink morph over the last decade. Tattoos aren't static; they’re more like a slow-motion drawing that changes as your skin does.
Is This the End of the Simple Tattoo Era?
Looking at her 2025–2026 aesthetic, Grimes is moving toward "cybersigilism"—sharp, aggressive, black-and-red lines that look like digital thorns. The tiny heart feels like a ghost of a different person.
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But that’s the beauty of it.
Even if she lasers it off or covers it with a sprawling map of the Andromeda galaxy, the laina grimes heart tattoo remains a landmark in internet culture. It’s the tattoo that launched a thousand Pinterest boards.
Next Steps for Fans:
If you're planning your own ink inspired by this era, look for artists who specialize in "fine line" or "ignorant style" tattooing to capture that specific raw energy. Avoid shops that only do "perfect" realism; you want someone who can make a simple line feel like it has a pulse. Check out her Instagram archives from the 2017–2019 period to get the most accurate reference photos of the heart before it began to fade.