Much of James Arthur’s body has been covered in tattoos for years, but now the singer is looking to remove the most visible portions as he transitions into an acting career. Some of these are prominently marked on his neck, hands, and forearms.

He told the Daily Star Sunday: “I’m having the owl removed from my neck, the tear from my face and a crown removed from my hand. I’ve already had nine sessions. They take a while and cost a lot of money but it will be worth it.”

Although there are plenty of actors with visible ink throughout their body, the star refuses “to be typecast” in movie roles that require them. Instead, he would like to shine as a future actor and be known for his talent, not merely for the ink displayed.

“I really want to do acting and I don’t want to be typecast because of my tattoos,” he continued.

The 28-year-old star has seen his fair share of drama and transitions in his career. He was the subject of much controversy in 2013 after a heated feud with Micky Worthless via Twitter in which he lashed out with homophobic language.

He was subsequently dropped from his music label and was only recently picked up again. James has said he “didn’t realize” how his actions would impact his career and blamed his outbursts on fame and the pressure that comes along.

He shared: “I suffered with the pressure. I wasn’t prepared for scrutiny and attention. It felt super quick. I pressed the self-destruct button. I didn’t realize the repercussions and the devastation my behavior would cause.

My character behavior, I was a very embarrassed by – it’s tough to look back on the adversities that followed my actions. I buckled under the pressure.”