Dolly Ave is bringing her love of anime into her latest music release with “Better Side,” a new alt-rock single arriving on August 7. Inspired by Death Note, the song explores the blurred line between justice and morality while encouraging listeners to choose compassion in an increasingly divided world. Produced by Kevin Hissink, the track combines heavy rock instrumentation with introspective lyrics influenced by one of anime’s most iconic psychological thrillers.
Beyond this latest release, Dolly Ave has built a strong connection to the anime community. She toured internationally as a member of MIYAVI’s band, co-wrote “Dumb” from his Strike It Out EP, whose title track became the theme song for Tribe Nine, and recently performed at Anime Expo 2026. In a written interview provided to OtakuKart, Dolly Ave spoke about the creative process behind “Better Side,” the lasting impact of Death Note, her favorite anime series, and why she hopes to one day contribute music to an anime herself.
OtakuKart: Tell us about your path to music and what inspired you to become a performer?
Dolly Ave: I was enamored with concert footage on television. My cousins and I would play around and choreograph dance and musical numbers. I never felt performing was in the cards for me oddly enough. However, I couldn’t ignore the feeling live music made me feel. It was even more prominent when I felt the need to sing and write songs.
One of the biggest talking points surrounding “Better Side” is its connection to Death Note. Rather than simply referencing the series, Dolly Ave explained that nearly every aspect of the anime influenced her while writing the song.
OtakuKart: You’ve said you wrote “Better Side” the day after watching Death Note. Can you elaborate on what aspects of the series influenced you? Were there any characters or scenes that especially affected you or inspired the song or specific lyrics?
Dolly Ave: Everything about the show influenced me at the time from the script, to the animation style, the music, and down to the characters. The title slides, metal/screamo intro and outro songs, church chorus, the mental gymnastics, editing, humor—it was all encompassing that I binged it in a few days. The biggest takeaway from the show was how you witnessed Light Yagami transform. His initial intent for justice got lost as he became aware of his power.
OtakuKart: Death Note is unusual in that its villain is convinced he’s the hero. Did Light Yagami’s version of justice frighten you or did some part of you understand it?
Dolly Ave: What makes this show great is that in some ways you root for the villain. At least for me I had conflicting feelings on whether I wanted him to get captured or not throughout each episode. We all wish we could remove evil from the world without going through the legal systems we have in place today. There is so much corruption in the world that you question why we go after one person that wants to make the world safer? Couldn’t we use our energy and resources to go after obvious enemies? That’s where his heart was originally at least.
The song also reflects Dolly Ave’s own perspective on accountability and empathy, themes she believes remain especially relevant today.
OtakuKart: The song is about wanting to be on the right side of history. Have there been moments in your own life where you felt yourself falling short of that? How did it end up in the lyrics?
Dolly Ave: Absolutely. I worry constantly about the impact I have on the world. Am I doing enough? Am I using my platform responsibly? The song is a reminder to continuously ask ourselves, are my actions leading me towards the right side of history?
OtakuKart: How did you meet producer Kevin Hissink? How did he push you sonically to achieve something you may not have reached for on your own?
Dolly Ave: My manager introduced us. It was pretty instant our chemistry and collaboration. We both don’t agree just to agree in a session. We’re both very vocal when it’s not quite there yet, but at the same time we share the same music taste so it is always very aligned when we work together.
OtakuKart: The production is explosive, but the subject is compassion. Did you ever consider a quieter version of the track? Have you ever recorded alternate versions of your songs?
Dolly Ave: I didn’t write an alternate version. There’s conflict in the production. My voice is static and tame in my opinion where the instruments are more jarring. There’s tension because this is an important conversation and I need you to listen to my words.
Having spent years performing alongside MIYAVI, Dolly Ave has experienced anime audiences firsthand. She believes those fans embrace creativity and authenticity in ways that have influenced her own performances.
OtakuKart: You co-wrote “Dumb” with MIYAVI, and that EP’s title track became the Tribe Nine theme. What did touring in his band teach you about playing to anime crowds specifically?
Dolly Ave: I learned that there’s nothing wrong with incorporating humor, joy, and costuming in music. Musicians tend to take themselves too seriously and it’s nice to see that connection can happen when you allow room for warmth and fun.
OtakuKart: Anime Expo 2026 versus a club date on this East Coast run—how differently do you approach performing in those two rooms and to different audiences?
Dolly Ave: The main difference was the Japanese covers. I spent weeks making sure I landed the pronunciation and the melody. I almost never cover other artists so it was more stressful for me than a show where it’s all words that I wrote. I want to do these songs justice, especially songs that are beloved.
OtakuKart: Rock still has few Asian women at the front of the stage. Has the anime space been an easier door to walk through than the traditional rock circuit, or does it come with its own challenges?
Dolly Ave: I believe the biggest challenge is living in this era of content creation. These two worlds welcome me with open arms. Truthfully, trying to hold attention in music is an uphill battle. That’s why it’s important to make good art. It can stop anyone in their tracks.
OtakuKart: The song drops Friday and the video in September. Is there any Death Note visual language into it, or did you deliberately steer away from the obvious references?
Dolly Ave: It’s subtle but I emulated Lawliet in my appearance. There is junk surrounding me, a gentle nod to his snacking while figuring out the case. It was deliberate to steer away from obvious references mainly because the themes of the song are relevant to today and you don’t necessarily need to have watched or read Death Note to understand the themes I’m trying to touch on.
The conversation also turned to Dolly Ave’s favorite anime and the series she hopes to contribute music to in the future.
OtakuKart: What are some of your favorite anime and manga series?
Dolly Ave: I am a big fan of dark psychological series. Some of my favorites are Paranoia Agent and Serial Experiments Lain. I appreciate a great coming-of-age and slice-of-life series as well such as Beck: Mongolian Chop Squad and NANA. The classics are Cowboy Bebop and Neon Genesis Evangelion. Hard question! I could go on for days. Don’t get me started on movies: Perfect Blue, 5 Centimeters per Second, and The Girl Who Leapt Through Time.
OtakuKart: Aside from Death Note, is there a series for which you would like to do an opening song?
Dolly Ave: Being a part of Chainsaw Man or a NANA sequel would be rad. I think my music would fit this new popular series called The Guy She Was Interested in Wasn’t a Guy at All very well.
“Better Side” releases on August 7, with its official music video scheduled to premiere in September. For anime fans, the single represents another example of how Japanese animation continues to inspire artists well beyond the medium itself, while Dolly Ave’s interview highlights just how deeply those stories have shaped her creative voice.
