Nearly two decades after skyrocketing to fame on “American Idol” and becoming one of the show’s most successful alums, rocker Chris Daughtry has never felt better.
At 45, the four-time Grammy nominee is a workout fiend who prides himself on following an intense exercise regimen and diet that’s led to the physique of a body builder. But it’s Daughtry’s latest physical transformation — getting a blackout tattoo covering his arms, back and part of his neck — that’s caused the biggest stir among his fans.
Daughtry debuted his new look on Instagram in late November 2024, receiving mixed reactions, with some fans expressing how upset or worried they were about the singer. Even Inked Magazine called it a “radical shift” in his appearance, but in an interview published on January 29, 2025, Daughtry told the outlet that what he’s gained from the pain of the process was worth it, and was just what he needed to feel more like himself.
Chris Daughtry Underwent 42 Hours of Tattooing for New Look
Before getting his blackout tattoo with San Francisco-based tattoo artist Roxx, who also did a similar look for Machine Gun Kelly, Daughtry had a smattering of tattoos that he’d collected over the years. The mishmash of art, including a tattoo he received shortly after “Idol” with his last name splashed across his back, no longer felt like him, he told Inked.
“It was peak 2006 energy,” he laughed, recalling having “DAUGHTRY” tattooed across his back. “Back then, it felt like free publicity. Looking back? Total douche move.”
Daughtry went through 12 hours of tattooing in 2018, trying to cover up an arm tattoo he no longer loved. But he eventually decided getting the blackout tattoo would feel like a fresh start.
“Blackout tattoos have a reputation for being edgy,” he explained to Inked, “but they’re really about creating something cohesive and intentional. For me, it was about taking control of how I present myself now.”
The process of covering up all of those tattoos was excruciating at times, he told Inked, sharing that it took 42 hours over seven days to accomplish the look he envisioned. Numbing cream did little to ease the pain.
“Blackout work isn’t like regular tattooing,” he said. “Every inch has to be saturated, and the repetition is relentless. I went to places in my mind I’d never been, trying to separate from the pain. There were times I literally felt like, ‘This is what it feels like to saw your own arm off, dude.'”
The worst part was tattooing his armpit, Daughtry told Inked, admitting it was “one of the most agonizing things I’ve ever felt.” The back of his neck was also “brutal,” he said, adding that there was no way to meditate or distract himself.
“When the tattooing is happening right on your brain, you can’t escape it,” he said.
On January 23, Daughtry told Detroit’s WRIF, “The healing process was rough, but I’m glad it’s done. I definitely got to know my tattoo artist well!”
Chris Daughtry Says Blackout Tattoo Makes Him Feel Stronger & More Intentional
In the end, Daughtry says the pain was worth it and taught him new things about himself.
During the process, he recalled, “I kept telling myself, ‘This is what you wanted. This is part of the journey.’ It became a metaphor for life — you endure the hard stuff to create something extraordinary. If I can endure this, I can endure anything.”
Daughtry said he was well aware of fans’ reactions after debuting the new look, recalling comments from some who cheered him on and others who slammed his decision. But for Daughtry, the only people’s opinions who matter, he said, are his family’s and his.
“My kids think I’m basically a superhero now,” he laughed, telling Inked that his wife Deanna has been supportive, too. “She told me, ‘It’s your body, and I want you to be happy with it.’ That meant everything.”
“This wasn’t about erasing the past,” he told Inked. “It’s about letting go of what no longer serves you, embracing the challenges of change, and emerging stronger and more unified. It’s not that I hated everything else. It was time for me to really be me, to wear it on my sleeve — literally and figuratively. The old tattoos were a timeline of who I was. This new design? It’s who I am now. Unified. Intentional. Strong.”
On his 45th birthday on December 26, Daughtry told his fans on Instagram that he is “always a work in progress,” adding, “Ever evolving. Ever changing. Always a student. I am grateful for all of it. I am grateful for all of you.”
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Chris Daughtry Addresses Jaw-Dropping New Look: ‘Time For Me to Really Be Me’