Miranda Lambert Is a Self-Proclaimed ‘Tattoo Person’ — And She’s Sharing Her Ink Stories With Us

Miranda Lambert has been creating chart-toping hits for more than two decades — but her songs aren’t the only way she expresses herself. The musician has also cataloged her journey through her tattoos.

“I do love tattoos,” Lambert, 40, exclusively revealed in the latest issue of Us Weekly . “I think if once you get one, you’re like, ‘I’m a tattoo person now.’”

Her ink is one of the many ways the Grammy winner has kept her fans in the loop about her ups and downs. Whether it’s a tattoo dedicated to her love of dogs or lyrics stemming from her Texas upbringing, Lambert is entirely herself.

“I’m definitely a fiery personality and am strong in who I am,” the country singer told Us , noting she’s gotten into “trouble” at times for speaking her mind. “Most times it’s been worth it, honestly, because at least people know who I am. Sometimes, if you’re just vanilla and not polarizing in any way, do you just kind of disappear into the fray?”

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Lambert — whose 11th studio album, Letters from Texas , drops on Friday, September 13 — adds that being a singer-songwriter means peeling back her layer for her art.

“I put songs like that on every record I’ve ever put out because that’s what I signed up to do,” she said. “That’s what country music is about, saying the truth — good, bad or ugly.” The same can be said about Lambert’s tattoos, which document big moments in her life.styli

Scroll down to learn more about the stories behind some of Lambert’s most iconic tattoos, from the artist herself:

The Arrow

“I got [this] with my guitar player, Scotty Wray ,” Lambert told Us of the design located on her hand. “We lost him two Februarys ago. He was with me since I was 17. He survived cancer, and I survived divorce. And so we got arrows pushing forward together. I’m so happy that we share that.”

MuttNation Logo

“Foot tattoos don’t look that good, so it’s not that cute anymore,” the “Bluebird” singer said with a laugh, revealing she got the ink in 2010 to celebrate her rescue dog foundation, MuttNation , raising its first $500,000.

Despite the tattoos’ current state, Lambert is proud of the why behind the design. “[Now] we’ve raised over $10 million and saved hundreds of thousands of dogs,” she added of the nonprofit. “We’ve really done a lot of amazing things.”

The Guns and Wings

Lambert’s longtime friend Amie Sikes designed her first tattoo at Junk Gypsies, and it still means a lot to the musician. “Amie said, ‘You seem like an angel and a little pistol,’ and she nailed it,” Lambert recalled, sharing that she got the piece to celebrate her first gold record.

The Wildcard

“I went through some [tough] things, especially 2015 was a really hard year of being in this industry and being a woman,” the Nashville Star alum remembered. “I was like, ‘I’m going to figure it out. I’ve got a wild card up my sleeve. I can do this.’ And so I got the wild card up my sleeve, and it’s a queen of hearts [tattoo]. She’s looking both ways to make sure that I don’t get run over.”

Pick up the latest issue of Us Weekly , on newsstands now.