diff --git a/src/views/detail.js b/src/views/detail.js
index 096d60e..37f9ce9 100644
--- a/src/views/detail.js
+++ b/src/views/detail.js
@@ -119,36 +119,25 @@ export async function loadArtistDetail(artist) {
   const _bgCover = _firstAlbums[0] ? coverUrl(_firstAlbums[0].coverArt, 512) : null;
   const bgSrc = img || _bgCover;
 
-  // Gate reveal on pfp + bg + color all ready — nothing shows until everything is set
-  let _pfpReady = false, _bgReady = false, _colorReady = false;
-  let _heroRgb = null;
-
+  // Reveal when images are ready; color tint fades in after (non-blocking)
+  let _pfpReady = false, _bgReady = false;
   const _revealHero = () => {
-    if(!_pfpReady || !_bgReady || !_colorReady) return;
-    if(_heroRgb) {
-      const [r, g, b] = _heroRgb;
-      hero.querySelector('.artist-hero-tint')?.remove();
-      const tint = document.createElement('div');
-      tint.className = 'artist-hero-tint';
-      tint.style.cssText = `position:absolute;inset:0;background:linear-gradient(to right,rgba(${r},${g},${b},.55) 0%,rgba(${r},${g},${b},.25) 55%,rgba(${r},${g},${b},.6) 100%);pointer-events:none`;
-      if(overlay) hero.insertBefore(tint, overlay);
-    }
-    requestAnimationFrame(() => {
-      hero.style.transition = 'opacity 0.25s ease';
-      hero.style.opacity = '1';
-    });
+    if(!_pfpReady || !_bgReady) return;
+    requestAnimationFrame(() => { hero.style.transition = 'opacity 0.25s ease'; hero.style.opacity = '1'; });
   };
 
-  // Preload bg — only set background-image after it's in cache
   if(bgSrc) {
     hero.style.background = '';
     const bgEl = document.getElementById('artist-hero-bg');
-    const _bgImg = new Image();
-    _bgImg.onload = _bgImg.onerror = () => {
-      if(bgEl) bgEl.style.backgroundImage = `url('${bgSrc}')`;
-      _bgReady = true; _revealHero();
-    };
-    _bgImg.src = bgSrc;
+    if(bgSrc === img) {
+      // same URL as pfp — browser cache will have it when pfp loads, no extra request
+      bgEl.style.backgroundImage = `url('${bgSrc}')`;
+      _bgReady = true;
+    } else {
+      const _bgPreload = new Image();
+      _bgPreload.onload = _bgPreload.onerror = () => { bgEl.style.backgroundImage = `url('${bgSrc}')`; _bgReady = true; _revealHero(); };
+      _bgPreload.src = bgSrc;
+    }
   } else {
     _bgReady = true;
   }
@@ -163,13 +152,19 @@ export async function loadArtistDetail(artist) {
       pfpImg.src = img;
       pfpWrap.prepend(pfpImg);
       document.getElementById('artist-hero-pfp-initial')?.style.setProperty('display', 'none');
-    } else {
-      _pfpReady = true;
-    }
-    _extractColor(img).then(rgb => { _heroRgb = rgb; _colorReady = true; _revealHero(); });
-  } else {
-    _pfpReady = true; _colorReady = true; _revealHero();
-  }
+    } else { _pfpReady = true; }
+    // color tint is non-blocking — fades in via CSS whenever it's ready
+    _extractColor(img).then(rgb => {
+      if(!rgb) return;
+      const [r, g, b] = rgb;
+      hero.querySelector('.artist-hero-tint')?.remove();
+      const tint = document.createElement('div');
+      tint.className = 'artist-hero-tint';
+      tint.style.cssText = `position:absolute;inset:0;background:linear-gradient(to right,rgba(${r},${g},${b},.55) 0%,rgba(${r},${g},${b},.25) 55%,rgba(${r},${g},${b},.6) 100%);pointer-events:none;opacity:0;transition:opacity 0.6s ease`;
+      if(overlay) hero.insertBefore(tint, overlay);
+      requestAnimationFrame(() => { tint.style.opacity = '1'; });
+    });
+  } else { _pfpReady = true; _revealHero(); }
 
   // ── Bio ──
   const info = infoRes.status === 'fulfilled' ? infoRes.value?.artistInfo2 : null;