At a Glance
- North West, 12, previewed a new song titled “Piercing on My Hand (Ye Version)” with dad Kanye West
- Lyrics reference her two dermal finger piercings and public backlash
- She told critics on TikTok to “pull it together” after unveiling a second piercing on Jan. 13
- Why it matters: The tween is publicly claiming body-autonomy while collaborating with one of hip-hop’s biggest names
North West is turning online criticism into bars. The 12-year-old daughter of Kanye West and Kim Kardashian posted an Instagram Story snippet of a joint track that directly addresses the uproar over her dermal piercings.
The Song
The clip, labeled “Piercing on My Hand (Ye Version),” opens with North rapping:
> “Piercing on my hand, the other holding bands. No friends, just filter, you wouldn’t understand.”
She continues:
- “Went to school for two days, then I got banned / Skipping school, yeah, I do it on the daily”
- “Got some new rings, yeah, they’re so crazy”
- “I want more piercings and tats / I love blue hair put it in some plaits”
The chorus-like boast: “All my friends are hits, you know I’m not lazy / You’re so angry that I’m so mainstream.”
Timeline of the Piercings
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| September 2024 | Photographed in Rome with first dermal piercing |
| Nov. 11, 2024 | Responded to TikTok critic: “it’s okay 🫶” |
| Dec. 9, 2024 | Posted TikTok clap-back: “Why are you crying? How old are you? Just pull it together.” |
| Jan. 13, 2025 | Showed off second dermal piercing on Instagram Stories |
Dermal piercings-also called microdermal or single-point piercings-sit flat under the skin and do not have an exit hole, a detail confirmed by beauty site Byrdie.
The Backlash
Commenters flooded social media after North’s Rome photos, arguing the procedure is painful, infection-prone and inappropriate for a tween. Kardashian did not issue a public statement, but North has answered critics herself.
When TikTok user @mazzy_williams posted, “north west getting a finger piercing is breaking my heart just me?”, the joint mother-daughter account replied simply: “it’s okay 🫶”.
Weeks later North stitched another critical clip, lip-syncing: “Why are you crying? How old are you? Just pull it together.” Text overlay read: “This is for everyone that’s mad over a finger piercing.”
The Reveal
On Jan. 13 she uploaded a close-up photo to Instagram Stories: a blue wig, all-black outfit featuring a Balenciaga T-shirt and pleated skirt, and her new Alex Moss New York diamond skull chain-a Christmas gift from Kardashian. Front and center were two metallic studs embedded in her middle finger. A follow-up TikTok flashed the same look, metallic manicure included.
Key Takeaways
- North West previewed a Kanye collaboration that turns piercing criticism into lyrics
- She now has two dermal piercings on one finger, debuted six months after the first
- The tween is using both music and social media to assert control of her image
