Tiana Brown
General Information
Family and Friends
Additional Information
Empire Chronology
Tiana Brown Lyon is a recurring character in the first season of Empire and a main character in following seasons. She is a recording artist, the wife of Hakeem Lyon and the mother of Prince Lyon. She is portrayed by singer, Serayah.

She first appears in "The Outspoken King" as an R&B-pop artist signed to Empire Entertainment who begins a relationship with Hakeem Lyon. The two later broke up after discovering that she had an affair with another woman. Since then, they have been together multiple times however she is currently dating Devon.


Season 1

The Outspoken King
Tiana is first introduced as a new pop artist under the management of Anika Calhoun. When Hakeem is intrigued by her presence, Tiana denies Hakeem's offer to join his VIP at Laviticus, calling him a "phony" rich teenager. Despite Tiana's first impressions of Hakeem, she gradually becomes attracted to him because of his success. After Hakeem performs No Apologies at Laviticus, Tiana and Hakeem hook up with each other. 

The Devil Quotes Scripture
Meanwhile, Tiana, who continues her success as an artist, is believed to be in a relationship with Hakeem due to their sexual chemistry.

False Imposition
Tiana makes the decision to be managed by Cookie Lyon, and finds herself disappointed in Hakeem because of his disrespect towards his mother and the fact that he is in a secret affair with an older woman, Camilla. The two, however, remain in a relationship after a performance at the Teen Choice Awards nominations in New York.

Dangerous Bonds

Tiana and India make out

Tiana and India making out.

It is revealed that Tiana is bisexual and in a relationship with another girl. Once Hakeem realizes this, their public relationship ends after Andre Lyon and Rhonda Lyon team up to broadcast her sexuality. 

Unto the Breach
Tiana meets with Hakeem and Cookie, they talk and Tiana sees how much he changed since he was now speaking highly of his mother. She tells Hakeem that she wants to get back together with him if he will come back to Empire but he turns her down, saying that he still loves Camilla. She is later thrilled when she gets to sing You’re So Beautiful with the family.

Season 2

To be added

Season 3

To be added

Season 4

To be added

Season 5

To be added



Hakeem Lyon (husband)

Hakeem and Tiana develop a brief, short-lived relationship as a part of a publicity benefit. Although Tiana's first impressions of him, demonstrated her lack of interest in his wealthy lifestyle, his brand new success as a rapper appeals to her.

However, Tiana and Hakeem's relationship isn't exactly real on both parts, since Hakeem is in a love affair with an older woman, and Tiana is revealed to be in a bisexual relationship, which causes him to end things between them. Soon they reach an understanding and Tiana once asked to get back together with him, after seeing he matured but Hakeem denied her but they stayed friends.

Eventually, in Season 3 they get back together after both went through bad break-ups and they reconnected.

In Season 4, Tiana and Hakeem are raising his daughter Bella together while Anika was in prison. When Anika returns, Bella is more comfortable around Tiana than Anika. After Anika sues for sole custody of Bella, Hakeem planned to run away to Cuba with Bella and Tiana. He tells Tiana to meet him at the airport, but she brought Cookie to convince him not to leave.

The following episode, Tiana and the Lyon Family go to court to battle Anika and Angelo. When Tiana was called to the stand, Angelo started attacking her with accusations and made her break down in tears on the stand. Hakeem blamed her for having him fight for custody over Bella and telling Cookie about Cuba. Tiana saw how stressed Hakeem was, but was fed up with his childish attitude. Tiana and Hakeem got back together a few episodes later, but Eddie said she can't have any distractions if she wants a successful career. Hakeem later proposes to Tiana but she told him what Eddie told her. They decided to continue their love affair behind Eddie's back. Hakeem briefly dates movie star Haven Quinn to make Tiana jealous. At the end of the season, Tiana reveals to Hakeem that she is pregnant with his child and he kisses her, telling her that they will figure it out and she was who he wanted all along. She is touched by this and they reconcile with a hug. Later on, Tiana, Hakeem, Bella and Blake are getting ready to leave when Blake's father started shooting at them with a shotgun.

They survived the incident and two years later, they are married and had a son named Prince Lyon.

India Spring (ex-girlfriend)

India is Tiana's ex-girlfriend. Tiana turned out to be bisexual, keeping it a secret. While at a photo shoot, Rhonda posts a video of Tiana and India together. Hakeem sees this and ends his relationship with her, allowing the two to pursue a full-time relationship. Sometime later, Tiana and India broke up indefinitely.


They were together for a while but Gram later humiliated her by trash talking her relationship with Hakeem and calling her terrible in bed. Tiana felt ashamed for ever dating someone with such a cruel person who would something that heinous.


Cookie Lyon (manager)

Cookie began managing Tiana in "False Imposition" after Tiana asked her to listen to her demo for Keep It Movin'. Cookie was supportive of Tiana when she found out about her bisexuality, saying they could "sell that." In "Unto the Breach", Cookie told her that she was family to her and Hakeem. In season 2 she left Empire and signed with Cookie's new label, Lyon Dynasty. In seasons 3 & 4, Cookie has made Tiana into a bigger star and even stuck by her during her growing rivalry against Nessa.

Nessa Parker

Nessa became Tiana's rival when she and Andre sabotaged Tiana's upcoming performance at the Helene van Wyeth fashion show for Nessa to take the spotlight. Nessa went all the way out by burning the dress Tiana was supposed to wear for the fashion show and record Tiana's rampage and Andre puts it on the internet causing Tiana to lose her performance and for Nessa to take the spotlight. In "Sound & Fury", during a meeting over who's going to perform at the Next-Up showcase. Cookie, Hakeem and Becky wants it to be Tiana but Andre, Xavier and Shine wants it to be Nessa. Lucious picks Nessa to perform. Nessa performs at the showcase until Hakeem and Tiana turned off her mic and take over the performance. When the performance was over, Nessa throws Tiana off the stage, both girls slapped each other in the face and Tiana pulls out Nessa's extensions. The audience filmed the fight until Hakeem and Andre had to break them up.


Tiana - Artists in Play
  • She was 21 years old in the first season.
  • She has 3 studio albums.
  • She has a 2.54 million social media following.
  • She is #29 in the Chart Top 40.
  • She is valued at $40 million.
  • She averages $83 million in album sales.
  • Her management costs $.9 million.

Episode Appearances (12/24)

Season 1 (7/12)

Season 2 (5/12)

