Tattoo you: Aaradhna, singer

Aaradhna says her tattoos represent her Indian and Polynesian heritage and are a reflection of who she is.

The intricate patterns that trickle down her hands have huge significance to Kiwi singer Aaradhna.

So having them compared to another high-profile singer's tattoo was a tad annoying, she admits.

"I was at a bar and the bartender said to me: 'Oh, I love your tattoos'.

"I thought that was okay, but then she said: 'They look like Rihanna's hand tattoo'. I was like: 'Oh hell no'."

Aaradhna, who grew up in Wellington, has had a number of tattoos done over the past few years. On her arm she has a colourful creation that includes birds and hearts and which she dubs "old school" ink. At the centre are her parents' names: mother Sia'a and father Jayanti Patel.

"I just wanted to get it. I thought my dad would go crazy but he was fine - so I thought: 'Okay, I'm gonna get some more, then'."

Her next tattoo, on her neck, was done in Romania while she and her partner lived there. It incorporates her Indian heritage, on her father's side.

That tattoo led to the striking henna-inspired designs on her hands which were inked by well-known tattooist to Kiwi celebrities and sports stars, Andy Tauafiafi, of Taupou Tatau.

Aaradhna decided to pay tribute to not only her Indian heritage, but also her Polynesian background - through her mother - and had Polynesian designs woven into her henna-inspired hand tattoos.

"I've been trying to get something that represents both of my cultures just to show that I'm proud of both. I always walk around proud with this on. And it's not like I can hide it - I'd probably have to put on some gloves," she says, laughing.

Each hand took almost five hours to complete. They had her favourite R&B songs playing to try to take her mind off the pain. "The worst was getting to the fingertips. There are just little lines there but it felt like someone was stabbing them over and over. Then the knuckles ... oh my gosh." Vaimoana Tapaleao