Why one Hedley fan covered her tattoo
Staring at her Hedley tattoo one last time, Sabrina Johnston is ready to erase everything it represents.
Inside a Toronto tattoo parlour, she twists her wrist around for a glimpse at the black ink marking that reads: “Invincible.” It’s the title of a Hedley song many fans consider among their most resonant - a story of moving past the darkest times - and Johnston wants it gone forever.
“It has a lot of meaning,” the 20-year-old says, explaining why she chose the word three years ago. Partly an homage to a Hedley anthem, she also considered it a symbol of her perseverance through several emotionally trying experiences as a teenager.
“But a lot of people associate it with a Hedley song,” she adds. “And that’s not what I want now.”
Hedley’s lead singer Jacob Hoggard was accused of sexual misconduct earlier this year, and while his lawyer denied any wrongdoing, the singer acknowledged his “reckless” and “dismissive” behaviour towards women in the past.
None of it sat well with Johnston, who asked herself whether she was comfortable with the message her tattoo sent.
“I can separate the music,” Johnston says.
“But at the same time, people in my life have gone through things like that, so I couldn’t support that (with my tattoo).”