Kat Von D is a Mexican-American tattoo artist, entrepreneur and singer-songwriter. She is best known for her time on the TLC reality television show LA Ink, on which she worked as a tattoo artist. Von D is also known for her makeup brand Kat Von D Beauty (now known as KVD Vegan Beauty), of which she was formally the head.

KAT VON D BIOGRAPHY: AGE, EARLY LIFE, FAMILY, EDUCATION

Kat Von D was born on March 8, 1982 (Kat Von D: age 41) in Montemorelos, Nuevo León, Mexico to parents René Drachenberg and Sylvia Galeano, Seventh-day Adventist missionaries from Argentina. Von D’s parents are of German, Italian, Spanish and Native descent. Von D has one sister, Caroline von Drachenberg, and one brother, Michael von Drachenberg.

When she was four, Von D’s family moved to California, where she grew up in the city of Colton.

Von D began playing the piano at five years old and says her grandmother, Clara von Drachenberg, is an inspiration for her music. Speaking exclusively to uInterview, Von D revealed more about her start in music.

“I was actually introduced to music at an early age. I’ve been playing classical music since I was five years old,” Von D said. “I think a lot of people know me from the tattoo world or from the TV shows and stuff but they don’t know that music has always been my first and foremost biggest passion. It’s exciting to finally be able to like make this my main focus and create music and then play it live.”

Von D got her first tattoo at the age of 14. At 16, she dropped out of school in order to pursue a career as a tattoo artist.

KAT VON D BIOGRAPHY: CAREER IN TATTOO ART & MAKEUP

Von D began her public career as a tattoo artist on the TLC show Miami Ink, on which she worked for two seasons.

Afterward, Von D began her own TLC series, LA Ink, in 2007. The show followed Von D’s work at her tattoo studio, High Voltage Tattoo, in Hollywood, California. LA Ink’s four-season run cemented her image as a renowned tattoo artist worldwide.

Von D published her first book in 2009, a compilation of her tattoos and artwork. It reached #6 on The New York Times Best Seller list. Her second book, an illustrated year in her life, was published in 2010, and also became a New York Times best seller.

Von D launched her makeup line with Sephora in 2008 to great success and only sold the brand in 2020.

KAT VON D BIOGRAPHY: CAREER IN MUSIC

On August 27, 2021, Kat Von D released her debut studio album, Love Made Me Do It. The album features twelve tracks of synth post-punk.

Talking about her sound, Von D said to uInterview, “When I announced that I was coming out with music, a lot of people were assuming that it was going to be something in the world of metal, just because I love metal. I’ve been in that scene for a long time but don’t sing that way, so I think I would make a terrible heavy metal singer,” the musician said. “Some of my favorite genres of music are really in the post-punk world, so I love bands like Siouxsie and the Banshees, and The Cure and Depeche Mode. I’ve always been a fan of analog synthesizers and nostalgic sounds and so that’s why I chose to go in that direction. Those are some of my favorite sounds and giving it a modern twist, to me, is like the ultimate high.”

This year, Kat Von D set out on her Love Made Me Do It tour with her band across the United States and Europe from February through the end of May.

When asked about her own favorites among all her songs, Von D revealed, “Since I wrote all the songs, they all have meaning to me that I respond to for different reasons, but I think as far as performing them, ‘Fear You,’ is one of those songs that I’ve noticed people like to sing along to a lot and I love anytime you have interaction with people in the crowd,” the artist said. “But you know I love tracks like ‘I Am Nothing’ and ‘Vanish’ even though they’re more melancholy and quiet. Those just pull on my heartstrings a little more than others.”

Love Made Me Do It is currently available to stream on all platforms.

KAT VON D BIOGRAPHY: PERSONAL LIFE

Von D is an outspoken vegan, and her makeup line is completely cruelty-free.

Von D grew up in a Mexican-American household and says that Mexican-American superstar Selena played a huge role in her childhood. Von D said that it was not only Selena’s music but also the language of that music.

Speaking with uInterview, Von D revealed, “Selena plays such a crucial part in my childhood upbringing. When we moved to America, our household didn’t really speak any English, and Selena’s crossover album was one that was on rotation all the time at our house and it was because she sings both in English and in Spanish. That was kind of my introduction to the English language.”

In February of this year, Von D released her cover of Selena’s song “Fotos y Recuerdos”. She said to uInterview about her experience recording the song, “I’ve always been a huge Selena fan and to be able to cover her songs now is definitely an honor.”

On February 21 of 2018, Kat Von D married artist and musician Rafael Reyes. In November of the same year, Von D gave birth to the couple’s son.

In October of 2021, Kat Von D announced her intention to close her tattoo studio, High Voltage, and move with her family to Indiana.

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