diff --git a/src/views/detail.js b/src/views/detail.js
index f7ff028..b773968 100644
--- a/src/views/detail.js
+++ b/src/views/detail.js
@@ -113,46 +113,49 @@ export async function loadArtistDetail(artist) {
       ])
     : [{ status: 'rejected' }, { status: 'rejected' }];
 
-  // ── Hero ── (await color before showing anything so it all renders at once)
+  // ── Hero ── non-blocking: set bg/pfp immediately, fade in on image load, tint after
   const img = imgRes.status === 'fulfilled' ? imgRes.value : null;
   const _firstAlbums = albumRes.status === 'fulfilled' ? (albumRes.value?.artist?.album || []) : [];
   const _bgCover = _firstAlbums[0] ? coverUrl(_firstAlbums[0].coverArt, 512) : null;
   const bgSrc = img || _bgCover;
 
-  // _extractColor loads img into canvas — warms the browser cache for the display uses below
-  const [rgb] = await Promise.all([
-    img ? _extractColor(img) : Promise.resolve(null),
-    bgSrc && bgSrc !== img ? new Promise(r => { const i = new Image(); i.onload = i.onerror = r; i.src = bgSrc; }) : Promise.resolve(),
-  ]);
-
   if(bgSrc) {
     hero.style.background = '';
     const bgEl = document.getElementById('artist-hero-bg');
     if(bgEl) bgEl.style.backgroundImage = `url('${bgSrc}')`;
   }
+
+  const _revealHero = () => requestAnimationFrame(() => {
+    hero.style.transition = 'opacity 0.25s ease';
+    hero.style.opacity = '1';
+  });
+
   if(img) {
     const pfpWrap = document.getElementById('artist-hero-pfp-wrap');
     if(pfpWrap) {
       const pfpImg = document.createElement('img');
       pfpImg.className = 'artist-hero-pfp';
       pfpImg.alt = '';
+      pfpImg.onload = _revealHero;
+      pfpImg.onerror = _revealHero;
       pfpImg.src = img;
       pfpWrap.prepend(pfpImg);
-      const initial = document.getElementById('artist-hero-pfp-initial');
-      if(initial) initial.style.display = 'none';
+      document.getElementById('artist-hero-pfp-initial')?.style.setProperty('display', 'none');
     }
+    // color tint — async, fades in via CSS so it never pops
+    _extractColor(img).then(rgb => {
+      if(!rgb) return;
+      const [r, g, b] = rgb;
+      hero.querySelector('.artist-hero-tint')?.remove();
+      const tint = document.createElement('div');
+      tint.className = 'artist-hero-tint';
+      tint.style.cssText = `position:absolute;inset:0;background:linear-gradient(to right,rgba(${r},${g},${b},.55) 0%,rgba(${r},${g},${b},.25) 55%,rgba(${r},${g},${b},.6) 100%);pointer-events:none;opacity:0;transition:opacity 0.5s ease`;
+      if(overlay) hero.insertBefore(tint, overlay);
+      requestAnimationFrame(() => { tint.style.opacity = '1'; });
+    });
+  } else {
+    _revealHero();
   }
-  if(rgb) {
-    const [r, g, b] = rgb;
-    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 0.3s ease';
-    hero.style.opacity = '1';
-  });
 
   // ── Bio ──
   const info = infoRes.status === 'fulfilled' ? infoRes.value?.artistInfo2 : null;