Kane Brown: A Marked Man

Laid-back, poised, and easy on the eyes, country musician Kane Brown carried with him his signature quiet confidence when he sat down with Inked correspondent Jordan Elizabeth at his sprawling 26-acre Tennessee home. Cozy in the confines of his twilight-tinted rehearsal space, bedecked with framed awards and mementos, they discussed Brown’s tattoo collection, how they influenced his stardom, and how he feels about his kids getting inked. And although tattoos have become synonymous with his image, it’s Brown’s voice, charisma, and character that created a celebrity.

It’s been nearly 10 years since Brown released his first full-length studio album, “Kane Brown,” which debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart. It was more than any 22-year-old artist could have dreamed, and yet his smooth, soulful, deep-toned vocals drew in a faithful fanbase that continues to grow.

Although artists like Keith Urban, Tim McGraw, and Brantley Gilbert helped make tattoos more mainstream in country music, Brown’s inked exterior still challenged the genre’s traditional expectations — until he sang his first note.

This was the case from the start, when he was sharing his music on Facebook, hoping to draw attention. As music fans explored new music, they were drawn to his likeness, and stunned with what they heard: country vocals, not the R&B or rap music they expected.

“I was doing covers, and my goal was just for people to be exposed to my singing. By the time I was 22, things had started really moving along, and I had gone pretty viral,” Brown explained. “I released my first big breakout song, ‘Used to Love You Sober,’ right before my 22nd birthday, and it really put me on the map.”

In 2016, Brown signed with RCA Nashville, and the hits kept coming, like “Heaven,” “One Thing Right,” and “What Ifs,” which earned the RIAA-certified Diamond status. “It was a dream come true to have a No.1 song on country radio. It still is such an incredible feeling, and I’m so grateful every time I play it or hear it on the radio,” he said.

Through the years, Brown has collaborated with several high-caliber country artists, such as Brad Paisley, Lauren Alaina, and Chris Young, and crossed genres with artists like Khalid, blackbear, and Marshmello. He also teams up regularly with his wife, country music artist Katelyn Brown. “I think fans love it when their favorite artists work together,” he said. “Fans don’t care about genres. They just love great music.”

This success has led to more opportunities to expand his empire. Two years ago, Brown and his team were in the beginning stages of bringing a new bar to Nashville’s Lower Broadway, where the energy is electric and the music drifts throughout the bustling sidewalks. On May 22, 2026, the four-level venue opened its doors, with live music on the first floor, DJ music on the rooftop, and elevated stage views, bar access, and VIP lounging in the seam.

“I feel like we are able to bring a little different flavor than all of the other celebrity bars in Nashville,” Brown said. “It’s just a great environment and place to hang. I’m in there all the time. Just over the weekend, I jumped up on stage and sang a couple of songs.”

But it’s not all about gaining traction and living a lavish lifestyle for the 32 year old. Brown has supported the Boys & Girls Club for years, scheduling meet-and-greets, bringing the children to his shows, and forming partnerships for on-site work.

“We renovated my hometown club in Chattanooga, we built a playground in Louisville, and a basketball court in Cleveland,” Brown shared, adding, “The country music community as a whole really supports St. Jude Children’s Hospital. I’ve visited the hospital, and those kids are fighters. It’s incredibly inspiring.”

While his stage persona is energetic and engaging, Brown said he’s a low-key guy when he’s not performing. And there are a few things that might surprise fans. “I’m a pretty good gamer. At one point, I was ranked in the world, but life keeps me from gaming all the time, which is probably a good thing,” he shared. “I hate ranch (dressing). Ok, I went viral for talking about this recently, but people still find it pretty unbelievable.”

Though he’s still basking in the success of his latest hit “Woman,” Brown has been working on a new album, with some of the songs stepping outside of country music boundaries. “Some of the songs definitely have a retro R&B feel. It’s fun to be able to tap into that side of my music,” he said.

Although the “Thank God” crooner’s ink helped shape his career, some Brown fans might be stunned by his relationship with his tattoos today.

Kane Talks Tattoos

Clearly, you’re not a virgin when it comes to tattoos, so let’s go back to your very first tattoo. What was it?

The very first tattoo was John 3:16 on my chest. (Taps on left side.) It was one of my favorite Bible verses. And it was my first tattoo, so I was like, it’s very innocent. And yeah, it was just right. I was like, that’s what I could put on my body that means something. So that was my first one.

Obviously, you have a lot of tattoos. Are there any that have more meaning than others?

I would say my family’s names. I still haven’t got my son’s. I don’t know. I feel like once you have a lot of tattoos, you get to the point where you hate getting tattoos. You love them, but you can’t stand getting them. That’s me.

Are there any tattoos that you have that are more significant in the sense of like, you accomplished something in your career, and you’re like, “OK, I want this tattooed on my body so I always remember that?”

Yes, we just got them started in Europe. I have two Diamond singles, so I got a diamond right here. (Points to right hand.) So now I’ve got tally marks because I have two, so I’m just going to keep going, hopefully, as my songs go Diamond.

When you’re 80 years old, do you think you’re going to have any tattoos that you regret on your body?

I hope not. All of my tattoos mean something to me and without them I don’t know if I’d be where I’m at in my career, just because I feel like it kind of gave me that rapper vibe, and that’s what a lot of people thought. Because I went viral on social media from my music, and a lot of people said they clicked the video because they thought I was going to rap. And then I started singing country, and so it was just a shocker. It was a shock factor.

Do you feel like tattoos kind of changed the outlook that people had as far as your career? Did you feel like they made you more confident? Did they set you apart?

Definitely. I feel like they set me apart. I mean, because I had my tattoos in high school. So, I had the wings (upper right arm), I had this (points to guitar tattoo on right forearm), I had “Love” on my neck, so when people saw me in high school, they’re like, “Is this kid 30?” (Laughs.)

I think sometimes if you get them, you have to keep getting them.

Yeah, I think it’s addicting. Like, once you get your first one, you’ve already knocked out the scared factor.

Do your kids like your tattoos? Are there any tattoos that they’re fans of?

I think because they just have seen me their whole life, that they’re just used to it. My oldest is about to be 7. She just started talking about them. She’s like, “I love your tattoos, Dad. I can’t wait to get some.” And I’m like, “You’re not getting any.”

Speaking of, do you want your children to get tattoos?

No, I won’t let my kids have tattoos, at least until they’re out of the house, and then I can’t really say nothing. I don’t know, I mean, I want to be the cool parent, but I also don’t want to because I know how I feel about mine. Like, I didn’t think about mine. I just started thinking about it, and then I was like, “Whatever, just put it on my body.” And then 10 years later, I’m like, “Meh.”

If they did get a tattoo, are there any particular tattoos you don’t want them to get?

Now that I’ve seen other people do it, I would like to do the small sleeves where you start out with small things that are meaningful and you could piece them together. I clearly went for everything just to cover that one section of my arm. I was like, “I just want to be sleeved up, so draw the biggest thing possible.”

And you have your hand tattoos, too.

Well, I did that so I couldn’t get a normal day job. I don’t know if that’s still a thing, but I was like, “I’m not going sit here and work in a normal day job, so I’m going try to do this.” So, I forced myself to be somebody.

That’s actually pretty powerful because I think you’re correct. There used to be a stigma that if you had tattoos, you would never be able to get a career.

Yeah, you couldn’t be a lawyer or…I mean, I went to the Army, and they told me that I’d have to remove them back then.

Where is the weirdest spot that you’ve ever gone to get a tattoo?

So, I’ve only had two tattoo artists (Bubba Irwin, @bubbaitattoos, and Alessandro Melas, @alessandromelas) my whole time. I guess the weirdest spot would be, probably a hotel room, which is where, in Europe, I got my diamond tattoo.

You said that you’re covering up your chest tattoo a little bit more, but are there any in the future that you’re wanting to get besides your son’s tattoo?

Nope. Every one of them basically is halfway done because I couldn’t make it through all of them. I was like, “You know what? That looks good. I’m gonna go.”

Do you have any matching tattoos with anyone besides your mom?

Yeah, we (band members and crew) got a wolf, so we’re like, part of the wolfpack, like “The Hangover.”

Do you have anywhere on your body that was the worst place to get tattoos, as far as pain tolerance?

(My) most painful tattoo, most insecure tattoo is my cover-up. I had it done and gone over so many times that it’s just straight scar tissue. Even the last one, I didn’t tell my wife, but they put me to sleep for it, and they still couldn’t get it done because I was twitching in my sleep. So, I woke up and I was like, “Is it done?” because it’s like my biggest thing. They’re like, “Dude, we couldn’t. We couldn’t do it. We had to wake you up.”

Do you think that’s why you’re like, “I’m done with tattoos?”

Yeah, I think that’s part of it.

Well, I don’t blame you. But you know what? From here, it looks good.

You can at least tell kind of what it is now. Yeah.