Tiana Brown, Empire

Tiana Brown (Serayah)

Tiana was introduced in the first season of musical drama Empire, a new pop artist that Hakeem Lyon hit on with “you’re new here. You might be a little famous and everything, but… there’s a lot of perks that come with being nice to me” and although she rejected him, after Hakeem’s launch show, she hooked up with him and they started a relationship (1×02) that was also encouraged for the sake of publicity.

In 1×05, after a performance with Hakeem at the TCAs, Tiana went home to India Spring with whom she was also having an affair. Though Tiana tried to keep her bisexuality a secret, she was exposed when a video of her and India together went public, and Hakeem ended their relationship as a result. Tiana mostly disappeared off the show for the rest of the season, only appeared briefly to do a music video with Hakeem and in 1×09, when she wanted back with Hakeem, who rejected her. Tiana and India presumably also broke up indefinitely after the one episode.

In seasons 2 Tiana was promoted to regular character, although she only had brief appearances (9 of the 18 episodes she was credited in), mostly for performances, or seen rehearsing.

Season 3

In season 3 episode 3, she appeared again for a performance at Leviticus with new boyfriend Gram, who went after Hakeem in his verses, after which he and Tiana made out on stage. Tiana was then caught in between Gram and Hakeem’s rap beef for the next few episodes until in episode 3×06, when Gram broke up with her via snapchat “You’re wack in bed… Your singing’s mediocre… You and Empire can kiss my ass”.

In 3×09, after a duet, she got back together with Hakeem (who in the meantime also has a daughter) and they remained together over the next episodes. In episode 3×14 Hakeem and Tiana were introducing a new song by Tory Ash (Rumer Willis), and Tiana and Tory shared a steamy dance while she sang.

Tiana Brown (Serayah), Tory Ash (Rumer Willis). Empire / Fox

The following episode (3×15), Tiana and Tory were in a hot tub making out while Hakeem was talking about his issues next to them. He insisted he wasn’t jealous and repeated Lucious’ lesson from season 1: “your girl caught a girl, that’s two girlfriends” and then joined them in the hot tub for a threesome. Tiana did not appear in 3×16 and only showed up briefly in 3×17 to learn her budget had been cut.

Tiana’s bisexuality has only been used for shock value, as a plot device during sweeps months, and always seen through the male gaze.

Season 4

Empire was renewed for season 4, to air fall 2017.

Appearances:

• 28 episodes.

Female love interests:

• India Spring (Elizabeth Whitson, guest 1 episode)
• Tory Ash (Rumer Willis, guest, 4 episodes, 3x10, 3x11, 3x14, 3x15, threesome)

Relationship story arc with a woman: No

Male love interests:

• Hakeem (Bryshere Y. Gray, main cast)
• Gram (Romeo Miller, guest, 3 episodes)

Relationship story arc with a man: Yes

Filter Relationship Arc:

• Male (Regular)

Storyline during sweeps? Yes, India's 1 episode is in February (1x05), threesome with Tory in May

[1] A relationship story arc is defined as explicit, developed on screen, and lasting more than 3 episodes. It is listed as questionable or subtext if romance is only implied, mentioned instead of shown on screen, part of a dream sequence, or otherwise not explicit for the viewer.
[2] Sweeps episodes air in February, May, July and November, the periods when advertising rates are set. A character is marked as "sweeps" when there is a very limited number of episodes that address their sexuality, all air during sweeps period, and the storyline is otherwise ignore/dropped.