In the era of internet memes and digital art, one woman took an unusual step to stand out from the crowd. Sailor Jupiter, a 25-year-old tattoo enthusiast, transformed her arm into a live QR code that, when scanned, directs to the legendary hit by Rick Astley “Never Gonna Give You Up,” making her a master of Rickrolling among friends and strangers alike. This story not only speaks of Sailor’s creativity and bravery but also how old internet jokes can find new life in the modern art of tattooing. Dive into a world where art meets internet culture, and discover how one small decision can turn into a global sensation.
WOMAN TURNS HER ARM INTO A LIVE MEME WITH A QR CODE TATTOO
At the age of 25, Sailor Jupiter decided to leave an indelible mark in the culture of internet jokes, choosing a very unusual method. On her right arm, she permanently embedded a QR code, hiding a link to Rick Astley’s musical hit from 1987 – “Never Gonna Give You Up”. This gesture became the pinnacle of friendly pranks within her group, transferring the well-known internet meme “Rickrolling” into reality. Sailor, a content creator, shared her impressions: “My QR code is what people ask about the most. We loved to Rickroll each other as friends. I wanted to go beyond the usual and surprise everyone.” According to her, even strangers and DJs in clubs ask to scan her arm to experience the surprise effect of the unexpected musical find. Sailor began adorning her body with tattoos at 18 and now has 97 different images, including Freddie Mercury and a face tattoo with an olive branch and spider. The decision for the QR code tattoo was made in June 2022 as a way to amplify the Rickroll joke among her friends. Creating such a tattoo required high precision and took four hours, costing Sailor £200. She emphasized the uniqueness of her choice: “It’s so unusual. Most people who see the QR code ask to scan it and burst into laughter when they hear the song.” Sailor sees her tattoos as a reflection of her life and important moments. For example, a flower tattoo hides a scar on her chest from surgery. “When I saw a girl at Starbucks with a face tattoo, I thought it was beautiful and decided to do the same. I absolutely love it,” she says. Sailor encounters the opinion that she is “unusual” due to her many tattoos, to which she responds: “Who wants to be normal? Normal is boring. I want to have fun in life and have no regrets.”