DEIDRE JERICHO is an American songwriter, filmmaker, app developer, and entrepreneur who became an ordained minister in 2018 to officiate the wedding of a close friend, although the friend ended their engagement prior to the ceremony. In 2018 Deidre also ventured into technology with a new start up called EasyBaby- a temporary childcare service for the refined traveler in which a mobile app and website are used to book a babysitter. The irony of EasyBaby is that the idea to create such a product, predates the popularization of mobile apps today by more than a decade while Deidre was working in the music industry. At the time, all she knew was that something needed to happen on a consumer’s mobile electronic device, but with the looming demise of Napster, Deidre couldn’t quite come up with a viable product and so she put the idea aside as she focused more on establishing herself as a songwriter. 

Around age 19, Deidre began to seriously pursue a career as a songwriter in Los Angeles’ music scene and also studied voice at Musicians Institute in Hollywood with Carol "Mama O" Rogers- a 30 year industry veteran who has recording credits with Brazilian musician Sergio Mendes and also known for her uncanny vocal likeness to Tina Turner. Around the same time, Deidre joined the American Society of Composers Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), which collects royalty payments on behalf of its members and has been with them for nearly twenty years both as a songwriter and publisher, with works published under her catalogue- "LADEIDRE," a nickname given to her by a co-worker while working part time at a Circuit City. As a lyricist and self-taught composer with several hundreds of compositions in her vault, her songwriting style consists of themes usually based upon personal life experiences, pop culture, politics and social issues- written mostly in the genres of pop, rock, rhythm and blues, soul, jazz, and new jack swing. Amongst her songwriting heroes, Deidre cites Carol King, husband and wife duo Ashford and Simpson, Raphael Saadiq, Mariah Carey, Stephen Bray, and Diane Warren. She also credits the television show Soul Train as a source of inspiration for some of her early childhood melodies which were a mimic of the songs featured during the weekly program that ultimately helped to refine her style. A product of the MTV generation and child of the 80’s, Deidre’s artistic influences include George Michael, Whitney Houston, Madonna, Prince, Joan Jett, Culture Club, and undoubtedly Michael Jackson or anything related to the entire Jackson family, including sister Janet Jackson.

With hopes of making industry connections to further her songwriting career, Deidre soon began summer internships while enrolled at Cal Poly Pomona where she was pursuing a degree in communication. During the first internship which was at Capitol Records in Hollywood, Deidre developed a relationship with an A&R executive which she nurtured long after the internship ended and led to an employment opportunity at Concord Records, an indie jazz label in Beverly Hills. While at Concord Records, Deidre supported various A&R executives for the release of Ray Charles’ acclaimed album Genius Loves Company and also for the debut album of American Idol alum LaToya London both of which were projects that Concord Records promoted at the time. Although grateful to be working in the industry she loved, Deidre felt like working on the record label side meant she was getting further away from her goals and that working with artists in this capacity, felt too much like babysitting. When the opportunity presented itself a year or so later, Deidre jumped at an offer at Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) where she began to connect more with songwriters and publishers which truly resonated with her goals. At UMPG, Deidre witnessed the creative and business processes for Mariah Carey’s release of The Emancipation of Mimi and learned a great deal about how music catalogs were promoted and exploited by befriending and seeking mentorship from publishing executive Donna Caseine, who is still well known and highly respected in the industry for her work with some of the biggest stars including Prince. In this period, Deidre was also present for exclusive and intimate performances by artists such as Michelle Branch, Musiq Soulchild, and fondly recalls an impromptu visit by Donny Osmond which caused hysteria amongst female staff she had never actually seen around the office who were suddenly coming out of the woodwork to catch a glimpse of their childhood idol. 

During her tenure in the music industry, Deidre worked with some of the most commercially recognized and substantial catalogs in the music business- notably Prince, Chaka Khan, Natalie Cole, Madonna and Amy Winehouse in numerous roles with different publishers for which she gained respect for her work ethic and initiative which led to opportunities created specifically for her. In 2005 Deidre accepted a newly created role managing digital publishing royalties at Warner Music Group (WMG), which would eventually lead to the end of her tenure in the corporate world. Although her departure from UMPG- a place she truly felt at home was bittersweet, this newly created role at WMG which was a hybrid between technology and managing digital royalties on behalf of publishers was progressive and would in hindsight, lay the foundation for her interest in eventually becoming an app developer. One of Deidre’s fondest memories at WMG includes bumping into a young Amy Winehouse in the women’s restroom during the singers visit to conduct business, not knowing who she was. During this brief encounter, Deidre recalls Winehouse as a sweet and down to earth soul with whom she connected, simply because the singer needed help zipping up her dress. Deidre would remain at WMG until shortly after the recession of 2008 when the music industry like other industries imposed massive layoffs from which they never fully recovered. 

Despite being out of a steady gig, Deidre was able to consistently find opportunities as a songwriter for hire on projects by independent artists with a few top acts to her credit. Soon she was regularly being hired by film producers and music supervisors with whom she had developed a working relationship over the years to lend her talent on soundtracks and other music projects wherever she could. From there, Deidre's career as an Independent Film Producer sort of just happened by seemingly being surrounded by all the right people at the right time who could see that she had the natural ability to fit into multiple roles. As an Indie film producer, Deidre has worked with some of the best in the business on some really amazing projects that are commercially recognized including brand campaigns for Mattel and award nominated feature films on the festival circuit. It wasn't until she was being repeatedly hired by documentary filmmakers that she realized that perhaps her niche as a filmmaker was in this genre. Deidre's growing passion for documentaries and producing real life narratives led to “Eight Counts,” a passion project inspired by her observation of some dancers she knew from a dance class she frequented at her local gym. Accordingly, this would then lead to the formation of Side Hustle Productions in 2019 initially for the sole purpose of developing, producing, and exhibiting Eight Counts but has since broaden its scope in anticipation of impending projects.

A native of Los Angeles who was born and currently residing in Hollywood, Deidre spent her early childhood in the La Dera Heights neighborhood, a few miles north of Los Angeles International Airport, until a few years after the Los Angeles Riots in 1992 when the family home was sold. As a child, Deidre attended a Catholic boarding school in England for international students which was governed by nuns from 1988 through 1990 due to parenting discord and lifestyle conflicts between her parents. Although she absolutely hated it at the time, she now cites the experience for her wanderlust which allowed her to experience many countries in Europe at a young age, and distinctively remembers developing a British accent for which she was teased upon returning to Los Angeles, being pick pocketed by Gypsies in Barcelona, and also visiting the site of the Berlin wall after it had been demolished. When she thinks of her years in England, she credits the school in retrospect, for instilling her independence and adaptability which allowed her to adjust easier to the many places she briefly lived in childhood- Michigan, Texas, Utah and Colorado; but for her, Los Angeles is and will always be home.