Bio
PRODUCER
Deepa Soul has a business woman alter ego, Executive Producer and CEO Diedra Meredith. Many artists don't have the balance of having a corporate business background and be a multi-talented artist/performer simultaneously, but this woman does.
She combines all of her creative industry accomplishments as a musician, writer, recording artist, sound engineer, dancer choreographer, as well as her corporate jobs as a finance controller, software documentation specialist and contract captain and delegate for the largest Union in the country SEIU into her role as a Producer.
She credits her educational background from the prestigious college preparatory St. Mary's Academy in New Orleans as one of the main reasons why she is able to do it all and do it well. "I start each day with the daily mantra of Henriette Dellile our schools' foundress."
THERE'S NO EXCELLENCE WITHOUT HARD WORK.
Diedra attended St. Mary's from 7th to 12th grade and believes wholeheartedly that her success is attributed to the 360 educational approach the Sisters of the Holy Family implemented. Commitment to excellence was all that was required of every student.
Throughout her her life she has applied the 360 approach which is why she has been able to accomplish the following:
- 3 time Top 5 Billboard Chart Topping recording artist
- President of LARA the LGBTQ Academy of Recording Arts
- CEO of OUTmusic Inc.
- Owner and Executive Producer of the OUTmusic Awards the Biggest Night in LGBTQ Music & Entertainment
- Creator & Executive Producer of the OUTmusic documentary film (in production)
- Founder of the OUTmusic Foundation's I AM MUSIC PROJECT giving homeless and at risk young people access to the musical arts.
- Creator & Producer of the Freedom of Expression print ad advocacy campaign
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Diedra attended Louisiana State University with focused studies in Mass Communication and Music/Sound Engineering. Falling back on her educational background, She worked in corporate jobs learning the ropes of being an executive from being an office clerk to working as a Financial Controller in the control unit for the Vice President of Finance.
She also spent her younger years in the non-profit sector as Executive Director of a non-profit focused on preservation of Ethnic Arts.
"As a young African American woman raised in the deep south you learn early on that you have to be 3 times as good at what you do." says Diedra. Therefore, she was not a stranger to stepping into the role of activist.
"I have 3 reasons to be a fierce activist:"
1. I AM a woman
2. I AM of African descent
3. I AM openly lesbian
Her activism and advocacy is what lead her to making one of the hardest decisions in her music career. At the height of her early success as recording artist Deepa Soul was offered the opportunity to sign a major record deal but walked away from the opportunity when it was suggested that she pretend to be straight and hide her sexual identity. The suggestion to go in the closet pissed her off and inspired her to become the volunteer Executive Director of OUTmusic Inc. a 501c3 non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of LGBTQ recording artists. Within 2 years she became the CEO and Executive Producer of the OUTmusic Awards. Under her new leadership the Best Moments of the OUTmusic Awards aired on viacom's Logo TV during its prime time show NEW NOW NEXT Pop Lab. For the first time in the 17 year history of the organizations' existence, the OMAs were exposed to 30 million viewers.
As an activist and advocate, she dared to create the change she wanted to see in the music industry. She went from New York underground dance music Diva to CEO and became the ambassador of Queer Music Culture and Heritage as the Executive Producer of the OUTmusic Awards (OMAs) the biggest night in LGBTQ music and entertainment. The OMAs celebrates the contributions and achievements of LGBTQ music, creative industry professionals and straight friends and allies who support the LGBTQ Equality Movement.
Her goal as the Producer is to bring it ALL mainstream to ensure that LGBTQ music culture and heritage will be included as an equally recognized art form.
