Paramount+ has revealed the diverse lineup of tattoo artists set to compete in the highly anticipated return of the hit reality competition series, Ink Master: Hometown Heroes, which premieres on Wednesday, October 29, 2025.
Artist-entrepreneur Joel Madden will host the ultimate tattoo competition, featuring a judging panel of industry legends, including three-time champion DJ Tambe, Season 8 winner Ryan Ashley, the first woman to win Ink Master, and color realism master Nikko Hurtado, globally recognized as one of the world’s best color-realism artists.
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What to expect from Ink Master Season 17
The seventeenth season puts 15 new artists into the grueling competition as “hometown heroes,” each fighting for a massive $250,000 prize and the opportunity to put their hometown on the tattooing map.
With reputations and regional pride fueling the rivalries, the contestants will face high-stakes challenges designed to test every facet of their artistic skill and technical versatility. Only one artist will outlast the rest and earn the coveted title of “Ink Master.”
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Ink Master Season 17 Contestants
The 15 tattoo artists competing for the title of “Ink Master” are:
- Boushee Bowie
- Alli Johnson
- Isnard Barbosa
- Tyler Jenkins
- Emily Sabrina Estrada
- Seth Holmes
- Keahi Ikeda
- Matt Mooney
- Sherri Austria
- Mike Beecher
- Kyra Torres
- OJ Thomas
- Nadia Most
- Luka Lajoie
- Teneile Napoli
Production Details
The series is produced by Truly Original. Executive producers for Truly Original are Glenda Hersh, Steven Weinstock, and Andrea Richter. Daniel Blau Rogge and Jennifer Aguirre serve as executive producers for MTV Entertainment Studios, with Angela Liao as executive in charge of production.
What is the Ink Master Season 17 release date?
Hometown Heroes will debut exclusively on Paramount+ on Wednesday, October 29, 2025. Ink Master Season 7 will launch exclusively on the service globally (excluding Japan) with three all-new episodes, followed by weekly episodes dropping every Wednesday.
