Photo: instagram
The question on everyone’s mind is... is it real?
By Alison Cerri — Written on Jan 28, 2019
Super fans will do super things for their obsessions. Kelsy Karter has taken that extra step to display her devotion to a man with millions of fans around the world.
She posted a picture on Instagram on Jan. 27 of her profile. On her cheek is an inked image of a face, surrounded by a halo of red, irritated skin. Her social media followers have identified the face as belonging to Harry Styles, from a picture promoting his eponymous album in 2017.
She tagged tattoo artist Romeo Lacoste in her pictures. He can be seen in videos needling her face as she sits in a chair.
Many are calling this a publicity stunt — but is it really? Here’s what we know about Kelsy Karter.
1. She was born in Auckland, New Zealand, but currently lives in Los Angeles.
Karter hails from New Zealand but was raised in Australia.
She moved to LA after finishing high school to develop her career as an actor and singer. The 24-year-old has been releasing music since 2012.
2. She has worked with Anthony Rossomando, who co-wrote “Shallow” for A Star is Born.
Karter released a music video for her song “Harry” on Jan. 28. (Her cheek is not yet tatted in the video.) She co-wrote the song with Rossomando, one of the people responsible for the song that has been nominated for a Grammy and an Oscar, and won a Golden Globe.
In an interview with Billboard published the same day, Karter spoke about working with the musician without knowing about his involvement in A Star is Born: “We wrote ('Harry') in April of last year, and it was around August that I found out that he had the song in the movie. He's a legend, so I'm very happy for him."
3. Her obsession with Styles isn’t exactly new news.
One of Karter’s first tweets of 2019 paid homage to the former One Direction frontman.
In July 2018, the singer talked to i-D magazine about her love for Styles in terms of her career. “What I love about him from a professional standpoint is that he was the poppiest of pop stars, and then he went off on his own and made a classic rock album.
"He’s introduced the kids to the kind of music I want to make. For that, I’m really grateful. I also just want his career. I feel like I’m a female version. I actually moved to America to act, and music became my main thing. Rock ‘n’ roll is my passion. I really want to work with him. Let’s work, Harry. Where you at? Mark my words: I’m getting a song on his album," she said.
Karter tweeted on Jan. 18, “Finally know what I’m getting Harry for his birthday….” Whether the tattoo or the song or both are for Style’s 25th birthday on Feb. 1 is unclear.
4. She has reportedly recorded a song with Zayn Malik.
The New York Post and Daily Mail have reported that Karter reportedly wrote a song for Malik, which he recorded, but it has not been released.
On the other hand, Karter released a single “Catch Me If You Can” in Dec. 2018. Her upcoming album Songs for the Rocket Ship is due to come out in March.
Regardless of whether the tattoo is real or not, Karter has certainly benefited from the publicity: her follower and view counts have skyrocketed by thousands since the photos were posted.
Alison Cerri is a writer covering entertainment, news and lifestyle topics. She is a senior at Susquehanna University studying publishing and editing.