Robbie Williams: Māori Tattoo, Mental Health & NZ Return Tour 2024/2026
Robbie Williams attributes a Māori tattoo to playing a role in his continued survival, revealing in a recent interview that the ink, which contains a prayer, offered him protection during a period of intense personal struggle. The singer, who is preparing to return to New Zealand for a series of concerts in November, shared his belief during an appearance on the television program Seven Sharp.
“I have a prayer on my arm and my shoulder, that must’ve gone a long way at protecting me given that there’s no reason for me to be alive,” Williams said. “So I put it down to my tattoo, I put it down to my wife and the kids.”
The tattoo, a ta moko, was received more than two decades ago. Ta moko is a traditional Māori practice where intricate designs are carved into the skin, holding deep cultural and personal significance, representing an individual’s ancestry and story, according to New Zealand tourism authorities.
Williams’ comments arrive after a period of public reflection on his life and career, spurred by the release of a 2023 Netflix docuseries simply titled Robbie Williams. The series detailed his rise to fame with the boy band Take That in the 1990s and the subsequent challenges he faced with mental health and substance abuse as the band achieved global success. He described a period of intense pressure and obsessive fandom, admitting to consuming a bottle of vodka nightly before rehearsals.
The singer, now sober and a father, indicated a shift in his lifestyle. “The diary is not that interesting,” he told Seven Sharp, contrasting his current life with the excesses of his past. He likewise spoke positively about a recent reconciliation and ongoing collaboration with former Take That bandmate Gary Barlow. “I haven’t stopped collaborating with him since we became friends after my dramatic fallout with him…. Hopefully this won’t be the last of the things we do together, I love him and he’s an incredible person.”
Williams is scheduled to perform at Eden Park in Auckland and the newly constructed Te Kaha Stadium in Christchurch as part of his BRITPOP World Tour. The Christchurch concert will mark his first performance in the city in 25 years. The New Zealand government is supporting the tour through its $70 million Major Events and Tourism Package, aimed at attracting international events and bolstering the country’s tourism sector. He last performed in New Zealand in 2023 at Mission Estate Winery in Hawkes Bay to a sold-out audience.
World-renowned Māori traditional tattooist Te Rangitu Netana Ta Moko, whose clients include Williams, Air New Zealand, and Hermès, is currently exhibiting his work at Rainmaker Gallery in Bristol, UK, according to a recent post on The New Zealand Society’s Facebook page.