Robbie Williams believes Kiwi tattoo helped saved his life

When English singer and songwriter Robbie Williams talks about the Māori ink on his arm, he doesn’t treat it like just another tattoo – he believes it helped keep him alive.

In an interview this week, Williams reflected on the Māori ta moko he received more than two decades ago.

“I have a prayer on my arm and my shoulder, that must’ve gone a long way at protecting me because there’s no reason for me to be alive. So I put it down to my tattoo, I put it down to my wife and the kids,” he told Seven Sharp.

He said he would consider getting more tattoos done when he is in New Zealand later in the year.

Long before he became one of the world’s most famous solo artists, Williams rose to fame at just 16-years-old as part of 1990s boy band Take That. Little did he know, the group would become a global phenomenon, with hits like Back For Good topping the charts in dozens of countries.

In 2023, Netflix came out with a docuseries, Robbie Williams. The series allowed audiences a candid and real view into his life. In the series, he opened up about the period that led to him walking away from Take That in 1995 and the toll it took on his mental health.

Williams described the band’s fame as overwhelming, with an intense and obsessive fanbase. Behind the scenes, things were unravelling, “I’m literally drinking a bottle of vodka a night before going into rehearsals, that’s happening every night.”

Now sober and a family man, he says life looks extremely different, he’s no longer the party boy he once was. “The diary is not that interesting.”

Williams also told Seven Sharp about reconnecting with former band mate Gary Barlow, who features on his latest album.

“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 set to return to Aotearoa this year in November, bringing his BRITPOP World Tour to Eden Park and Te Kaha Stadium - his first time back performing in Christchurch in 25 years. He will be the first international act to play at the brand-new stadium.

The tour is being supported by the Government’s Major Events and Tourism Package- $70 million fund designed to bring major events to the country and boost tourism.

Williams last performed in New Zealand in 2023 to a sold-out crowd at Mission Estate Winery, Hawkes Bay.