Danica Davidson
February 23, 2024 
Multi-faceted artist TiaCorine just released her major-label debut EP Almost There from Interscope Records and is about to be headlining a tour. The reason she’s here at Otaku USA is because she’s a major anime fan, and anime has influenced her music, art and aesthetics. In fact, today she’s beginning to release a collection of merchandise that’s anime-inspired, starting with T-shirts and sweatshirts, with more to come. These items can be found on her site. Otaku USA spoke to Tia about how she got into anime, how it’s impacted her work, and what series means the most to her.
How has anime influenced your music, art and aesthetics?
Anime always has really cool hairstyles/color/patterns . . . so when I’m watching anime I’ll come across a cool hair style or color and then I’ll take a picture and send it to my hairstylist like “OMG, we have to recreate this.” Or sometimes I see things and I’m like, “OMG, I was just making a treatment for a video and this hair or color totally fits.” So then I take that and make it my own. I do the same thing with outfits. I see stuff and I’m like, “Wait, that’s fine asf! We have to recreate this.” I’m always pausing a show to take pictures as inspo lol. Then I use references as bars for my music . . . from characters to fights to weapons … anything that caught my eye in a show I just remember. And it stays in my brain, so when I start rapping, it just comes out. Also when I’m recording I always have some type of anime on like Baki, Dragon Ball, Jujutsu Kaisen etc. I just feel like those shows keep my imagination open and fun, so when I’m writing my mind stays expanded.
How did you first get interested in anime?
I first got into anime with Pokémon and sneaking to watch shows after dark on Toonami. I caught my brothers watching Dragon Ball Z and I was like, “OMG, what is thissss . . .” Then it just went from there! I started watching Samurai Jack, Inuyasha and Sailor Moon.
What series have meant the most to you, and why?
Aggretsuko! It’s just so real and I really feel deeply connected to her as a character and what she goes through. As far as decisions, the way people treat her, her love life and the way she makes music about things that ticked her off that day. . . that’s literally me. First time I watched it I felt like I was watching myself.
Why do you think anime has been growing in popularity?
Honestly, I’m not too sure. Because before you were lame and I never wanted to be caught watching it because I would be called weird. Maybe it’s becoming more popular because we live in a time now where you don’t have to be afraid of being yourself. There’s more of an “acceptance” type of energy now.
Where can people find out more about you and your work?
You can find more about me and my work on instagram, twitter, discord, YouTube, Apple Music, Spotify, SoundCloud, tidal, pandora . . . just about any digital musical platform. My new EP Almost There is out now and I’ll be headlining a tour in a city near you starting on March 2 in Chicago.
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Danica Davidson is the author of the bestselling Manga Art for Beginners with artist Melanie Westin, plus its sequel, Manga Art for Everyone, and the first-of-its-kind manga chalk book Chalk Art Manga, both illustrated by professional Japanese mangaka Rena Saiya. Check out her other comics and books at www.danicadavidson.com.
