Who was the tattoo artist in Lorde's music video?
The last time Aucklander Alma Proença did a tattoo for the pop star, she ended up with a collection of red lines on her own leg just to perfect it.
Covered in tattoos down to her fingertips and up to her ears, Auckland-based tattoo artist Alma Proença has always been fond of art in its various forms.
So when the 28-year-old got an invitation from her old pal, popstar Lorde (Ella Yelich-O'Connor), to appear on the music video for ‘Hammer’, she pounced at the chance to be part of another artist’s vision.
“It is art just in a different font. I just thought it was brilliant, like every single scene, and then also having the privilege of being able to watch it happen was amazing.”
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‘Hammer’ was the last music video Lorde dropped before releasing her much-anticipated album, Virgin. Described by the singer as “an ode to city life and horniness”, the song also explores her relationship with gender identity.
Proença, who kept in touch with Lorde after meeting her while working at a lingerie store at the age of 19, was coincidently in London for work when she got the request. But she had no clue she would be appearing as a tattoo artist until she got the cast sheet a few days before.
“There was definitely more structure on the [filming] day, but it was just a bit of a mystery leading up to it which I think added to the whole experience.”
The details around what happened in the 'Hammer' tattoo scene remain shrouded in mystery.
Alma Proença appears in Lorde's Hammer music video which was shot in London's Hampstead Heath.
Universal Music
Shooting in the wild park of London’s Hampstead Heath seemed to be a perfect parallel for Proença, who is known for her nature-inspired subject matter (including birds, flowers, snakes and horses).
“It was a first [to be doing that outdoors], but it was awesome, I think [I] would do it again but also if I had to work like that every day, it would be really hard naturally,” Proença says.
“There were cows on site, and they were very, very friendly and very curious and that was hilarious because they were so bold, and it became a thing of some of the people working on set just like consistently having to chase these really curious cows away.”
Alma Proença is known for her fine line tattoo work and nature-inspired subject matter.
Instagram / Alma Proença
Proença says it’s a huge commitment to trust someone to mark your skin permanently – and she pays the utmost respect to that by being detailed. The proof of that is on her skin.
“I have tattooed Ella before… we did a red line down her hand in the first year of me tattooing fulltime [in 2021],” she says.
“That's really funny because I have a little collection of red lines on my leg because I was so nervous that I practiced doing just like consistent red lines on my own leg.
“So that was like a nice little link as well - the fact that I have actually tattooed Ella before and spent that time with her and then being able to be present in that video was really nice.”
Proença has collected so many of her favourite artist’s work on her body and memento pieces of her loved ones (an iris for her sister, her mum’s name on her chest, her father’s name on her stomach, her pets’ names, her flatmate’s name) that she can’t even recall how many tattoos she has.
“Something that's very convenient about being a tattooer and having worked in a tattoo shop since I was 20 is that I haven't had to pay for many of my tattoos which I'm very grateful for.”
Alma Proença had the first ink on her body at the age of 18, when she decided to get a dragon - the same as her mother's - on her forearm.
RNZ / Marika Khabazi
When she was a child, she saw her mother heavily tattooed which opened up her thoughts and beliefs about the art. She got her first tattoo at the age of 18 – a dragon on her forearm that was the same as her mum’s.
“I also felt like there was some security in taking that route because I was like there's sentiment in it straight off the bat because it matches with my mum,” she says.
"I've gotten a blast over it since [then], not because I didn't like it, I just felt like it was pretty prime real estate and so I wanted another thing on it.”
Although Proença can’t meet up often with her busy friend Ella, it’s enough for her to admire from afar and be proud of her friend's success.
"I'm very grateful to Ella for having me involved and trusting me to be in a personal project of hers... I know in theory it's insignificant because I just appear for a moment in this music video, but definitely not insignificant for me. It's pretty massive."
