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Despite calling one of his old pieces a "total douche move," the American Idol alum says the move wasn't about "erasing the past" -- and reveals which was the most "agonizing" body part to tattoo after 42 hours under the needle.
Chris Daughtry doesn't look like this anymore.
Known for having a plethora of tattoos -- including his own last name plastered across his back -- the American Idol alum recently underwent a total transformation, covering up all his old pieces with one massive blackout tatt.
While the 45-year-old rocker first debuted his coverup back in November with a photo from his Inked Magazine spread, the accompanying interview just dropped today -- giving fans an even better look at his new art, while explaining why he did it.
See the Before & After photos below:
Daughtry told the publication he felt his old tattoos were "like a playlist on shuffle" and had "no flow, no theme" pulling them together. Of the infamous ink on his back, he added, "It was peak 2006 energy. Back then, it felt like free publicity. Looking back? Total douche move."
"This wasn't about erasing the past," he told the outlet. "It's about letting go of what no longer serves you, embracing the challenges of change, and emerging stronger and more unified. It's not that I hated everything else. It was time for me to really be me, to wear it on my sleeve -- literally and figuratively."
He decided to cover up those pieces after doing similar body paint for a music video last fall; the paint, he said, "awakened something primal in me," adding that it "felt like battle armor." He then did some research on blackout jobs and was impressed by the artist who did Machine Gun Kelly's, Roxx.
The job consisted of seven days and 42 hours, with Daughtry calling the process "relentless."
"I went to places in my mind I'd never been, trying to separate from the pain. There were times I literally felt like, 'This is what it feels like to saw your own arm off, dude,'" he recalled, saying that tattooing his armpit was "one of the most agonizing things I've ever felt."
Now fully completed -- see more photos, including some of his new back, here -- Daughtry said his family is loving his new look. While his kids "think I'm basically a superhero now" with the blackout piece, his wife said, "It's your body, and I want you to be happy with his."
Daughtry isn't the first celeb to cover up his old ink in such a drastic fashion, as both the aforementioned MGK and Kat Von D have had similar blackout jobs. For more stars with tattoo regrets, check out the gallery below.