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Bio

Diedra (pronounced Dee -eh- druh) Meredith, also known as independent recording artist Deepa Soul, is a multi-activist, a producer, a 3 time top 5 billboard chart topping artist, a filmmaker, singer/songwriter, musician, former dancer, and an award-winning choreographer. Her colleagues and industry friends call her a multi-media activist because she uses music, live productions, film and language arts as mediums of social justice.

She was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana, in Algiers located on the Westbank of the city and identifies as a survivor of the notorious Fischer Housing Project. Diedra is an alumna of All Saints School on Tech Street, St. Mary's Academy in New Orleans East, and Louisiana State University Baton Rouge.

After spending 19 years in Brooklyn, New York, she returned to her hometown of New Orleans in 2017. While living in New York, by day, Diedra served as the Financial Services Dept. Contract Captain and Shop Steward for the largest service employee union in the country, 1199 SEIU.

By night and on weekends, she worked as a producer, show runner, and performer. As a content creator, director, and producer, Diedra has worked on three innovative production projects under her production company, Sunstar Gate Productions LTD.

Her current project is "The New Orleans Legacy Project," which is a call-to-action revival of a movement and a 3-part docuseries (currently in production) was created to honor the anniversary of school desegregation and the New Orleans & Louisiana Resistance Movement. The hybrid production combines powerful reporting and musical performances by New Orleans' own recording artists and culture keepers to celebrate this great city of New Orleans as the cradle of the Civil Rights Movement.

Collaborating with The Historic New Orleans Collection (THNOC) and Executive Producers of Comcast/NBUniversal's "Voices of the Civil Rights Movement, (VOCRM)" Diedra’s focus is to "Undo Historical Negation." To present the accurate historical record about the New Orleans and Louisiana Resistance Movement and how The New Orleans Four (Gail Etienne, Ruby Bridges, Leona Tate, and Tessie Prevost) became the legacy of the movement. She placed a special focus on restoring the three lesser known members of The New Orleans Four – to the equivalent status of recognition, and honor as Ruby Bridges. The producers at (VOCRM) support her efforts, and now these women are prominently featured in their kiosks in civil rights museums throughout the country.

The New Orleans Four have always been synonymous with The Little Rock Nine, and their contributions will be equally acknowledged and celebrated.

Coming off her most recent performance and musical production marks a 40 year full circle moment as a recording artist and performer for her. Diedra's Production of The Treme 4 Treme Historical & Cultural Black Music Series “Music Of A Movement” A Symphonic Soul Music Anthology from 1950s - 1970s was a huge success. The show featured her as Deepa Soul with her 18-piece band, The Love Soul Orchestra LIVE on stage with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra at the Mahalia Jackson Theater June 19, 2024.