If you still think of Kat Von D as the "LA Ink" queen with the star-studded face and the goth-glam makeup empire, honestly, you’ve missed a lot. A quick scroll through Kat Von D IG (thekatvond) feels less like a celebrity feed and more like a quiet gallery of a life being completely rebuilt from the ground up.
She’s not in Hollywood anymore. She isn't selling you "Tattoo Liner" either.
The transition from being the world’s most famous tattoo artist to a piano-playing, Indiana-dwelling, Eastern Orthodox Christian has been… well, it’s been a lot for her 9 million followers to digest. Some fans are here for the "trad-wife" vibes and the dark synth-pop music updates. Others are still mourning the closure of High Voltage Tattoo. But if you're looking for the drama, you won't find it in her captions—you'll find it in the total erasure of her past.
The Blackout: Why Her Feed Looks So Different
The most jarring thing you'll see on Kat Von D IG these days isn't just the change in scenery. It’s her skin.
For years, Kat was the human canvas for some of the world’s finest black-and-grey portraiture. Now? Most of those intricate pieces are gone, buried under solid fields of black ink. It’s called "blackout" tattooing. She’s been very vocal about why she did it, basically saying those old tattoos represented a version of herself she no longer recognizes. She mentioned in a post that they were "landmarks in dark times" from when she used to drink.
By early 2026, the blackout work is nearly complete. Seeing her perform music with solid black arms is a trip. It's a physical manifestation of a "clean slate," even if that slate is technically the darkest color possible.
From Witchcraft to the Orthodox Church
The internet nearly broke when Kat posted her baptism video back in late 2023. She was standing in a small pool at the Switzerland Baptist Church in Indiana, wearing a white robe, looking genuinely emotional.
But the journey didn't stop at that Baptist baptism.
In a massive update shared on her Instagram in July 2025, Kat revealed she had officially entered the Eastern Orthodox Church during Pascha (Easter). She spent her 2025 European tour not just playing shows, but visiting ancient cathedrals and attending Divine Liturgies with her son, Leafar.
"It brings me joy to share some of the beauty of Orthodoxy within these sacred (and historic) places with you," she wrote in a montage video.
Interestingly, she’s taking a step back from being a "public testimony" machine. Her priest, Archpriest Father Steven, actually told her to chill out on the interviews for at least a year so she can actually learn the faith before trying to represent it. It’s a move that feels surprisingly humble for someone used to being the center of a reality TV show.
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What Really Happened with High Voltage Tattoo?
People still ask her in the comments why she "abandoned" her shop. The truth is pretty practical, even if it feels tragic to fans of the TLC era.
Kat officially closed the West Hollywood location of High Voltage Tattoo on December 1, 2021. She didn't want to manage a shop from across the country, and she was done with California. She’s living in the Benjamin Schenck Mansion in Vevay, Indiana now—a town of about 1,600 people.
The legal drama hasn't entirely disappeared, though. Just this month, in January 2026, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a big win for her in a copyright case. A photographer had sued her for tattooing a photo of Miles Davis onto a friend. The court basically said it was "fair use." It’s a landmark win for tattoo artists everywhere, proving that even though she’s "retired" from the Hollywood scene, she’s still setting the rules for the industry.
Music is the New Empire
If you’re following Kat Von D IG for makeup tips, you’re in the wrong place. She sold her shares of KVD Beauty to Kendo (LVMH) years ago. Now, her creative energy is almost 100% focused on her music.
Her 2024 album, My Side of the Mountain, showcased a sound she calls "Cholo Goth"—a mix of darkwave, synth-pop, and raw emotion. She tours with her husband, Rafael Reyes (Leafar Seyer of the band PRAYERS), and their shows are a far cry from the bright lights of Sephora launches.
Her recent posts show her:
- Practicing piano for hours in her Indiana mansion.
- Sharing snippets of new tracks like "Illusion" and "Truth in Reverse."
- Showing off the elaborate, custom-made stage outfits that lean heavily into Victorian mourning aesthetics.
How to Follow the "New" Kat
If you want to keep up with what’s actually happening, you have to look past the old "LA Ink" tags. Her current vibe is a mix of quiet rural life, intense religious study, and indie music production.
- Don't expect makeup tutorials. She hasn't been involved with the KVD brand since 2020.
- Watch the Reels. That's where she posts her piano sessions and church visits.
- Indiana is the backdrop. Most of her content now features the rolling hills of the Midwest rather than the palm trees of Sunset Blvd.
She’s basically traded the "macabre" for the "liturgical." Whether you agree with her life choices or not, you have to admit—nobody does a pivot quite like Kat Von D. She isn't just changing her mind; she’s changing her skin, her soul, and her zip code.
If you’re looking to dive deeper into her current music or her move to Indiana, check out her official website for the latest tour dates—though she’s currently in a "quiet period" for her religious studies. The best way to see the transformation is to look at her "Blackout" highlights on her profile; it explains the "why" behind the ink better than any tabloid ever could.