Tattoos are supposed to be permanent. But in the world of celebrity romance, they usually last about as long as a summer hit. If you followed the whirlwind engagement of Rauw Alejandro and Rosalía, you know their love wasn't just in the music. It was etched into their skin.
Then came the breakup.
Suddenly, everyone was squinting at paparazzi photos and Met Gala red carpet shots. Why? Because we all wanted to see what happened to the Rauw Alejandro Rosalia tattoo everyone talked about for years. It turns out, moving on is a lot easier when you have a good tattoo artist on speed dial.
The Ink That Started It All
Back in 2022, things were different. Rauw was head-over-heels. He decided to prove it by getting "Rosalía" tattooed right across his abdomen. It wasn't some tiny, hidden thing either. It was written in a stylized, handwritten font, sitting boldly above his navel.
Fans first caught a glimpse of it during a concert in San Jose, California. Rauw did what he does best—stripped off his shirt—and there it was. It felt like a declaration.
But he wasn't the only one getting inked. Rosalía had her own tribute. She went for a double "R" on the sole of her left foot. Honestly, that sounds incredibly painful. She even told Teen Vogue that it hurt like crazy because she didn't use any numbing cream. She chose the "RR" because it represented both of their initials—Rosalía and Raúl.
"I told him, 'I'm going to get your initial tatted because it's also mine,'" she said at the time.
It was clever. If they broke up, she could always say it stood for her own name. Or Rolls Royce. Or basically anything else.
Why the Rauw Alejandro Rosalia Tattoo Is Gone Now
Fast forward to May 2024. The Met Gala is happening in New York. Rauw shows up looking sharp, but it’s the after-party look that sent the internet into a tailspin. He stepped out in a sheer, unbuttoned top.
The name "Rosalía" was nowhere to be found.
In its place? A massive butterfly. It’s a classic cover-up choice. Butterflies often symbolize rebirth or a "new era," which is exactly what fans started calling it. The new ink is heavy on the blackwork and shading, which is a tactical move. You need a lot of pigment to hide an old name completely.
Does Rosalía Still Have Hers?
This is where it gets interesting. While Rauw went for the full cover-up, Rosalía has been a bit more low-key. As of late 2024, reports suggest she hasn't pulled the trigger on laser removal or a cover-up for the "RR" on her foot.
Maybe it’s because it’s on the bottom of her foot and nobody sees it? Or maybe, as some fans on Reddit speculate, she just "owns her past." There was a brief moment where people thought she might have removed it, but sightings in 2024 showed the double "R" was still hanging on.
Breaking Down the Meaning
When you look at the Rauw Alejandro Rosalia tattoo saga, it’s basically a roadmap of their relationship.
- The Abdomen Name: Rauw’s choice was high-risk. Names are the ultimate "jinx" in the tattoo world.
- The "RR" Initials: Rosalía’s choice was subtle and double-meaning.
- The Butterfly: The final chapter. It represents Rauw closing the book.
It's kinda wild how public these gestures are. We saw them get the ink when they were "forever," and we saw the cover-ups when things went south. It makes you wonder why celebs still go for the name tattoos.
What This Means for 2026 and Beyond
Honestly, the era of tattooing your partner's name might be cooling off because of stories like this. We’ve seen it with Pete Davidson, we’ve seen it with Angelina Jolie, and now Rauw.
If you're thinking about getting a tribute tattoo for someone, maybe take a page out of Rosalía’s book instead of Rauw's. Go for initials. Choose a spot that's easy to hide. Or better yet, just buy a t-shirt.
If you are currently looking at an old "ex" tattoo and feeling like Rauw did at the Met Gala, you have a few options. Laser removal is effective but takes forever and hurts more than the tattoo itself. Cover-ups, like Rauw’s butterfly, are the faster route, but they require a skilled artist who knows how to use dark saturation to hide the old lines.
Moving on is a process. Sometimes that process involves a needle and some black ink.
Practical Next Steps for Your Own Ink
- Consult a Cover-Up Specialist: Not every artist is good at hiding old work. Look for someone with a portfolio specifically showing "before and after" cover-ups.
- Think About Saturation: If you’re covering a name, expect the new tattoo to be significantly darker and larger than the original.
- Consider the Meaning: If you want a tribute, use symbols rather than names. A butterfly, a favorite flower, or even a coordinate (like Rauw’s Barcelona tattoo) is much easier to live with if the relationship ends.
The story of the Rauw Alejandro Rosalia tattoo is officially over. He has his butterfly, she has her "RR," and the rest of us have the music.