Miranda Wilking’s life with husband James Derrick looks picture-perfect based on her social media presence, but her family members claim there’s more to the story.
Miranda’s parents and sister, Melanie Wilking, took to Instagram Live in February 2022 to claim that Miranda had been indoctrinated into a cult that targets dancers. The concerned family said they hadn’t spoken to Miranda in over a year and alleged that the entertainment management firm 7M Films, which Miranda joined in 2021, was operating like a cult.
7M management, which was created by Shekinah Church founder Robert Shinn, is the subject of the upcoming Netflix docuseries Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult. The series, which premieres on Wednesday, May 29, features Melanie and her parents as well as former Shekinah Church member Lydia Chung, who claims the church cut her off from her family and brainwashed her. Shinn has denied any wrongdoing.
Miranda and Derrick, who are both involved with 7M, have denied that they are in a cult. They frequently share videos of them dancing together via their respective Instagram pages.
Keep scrolling for a look at Miranda and Derrick’s relationship timeline:
April 2021
Derrick’s first appearance on Miranda’s Instagram page came three months after she allegedly cut ties with her family. The duo performed a dance to SZA’s song “Kiss Me More.”
August 2021
The pair announced their engagement via Instagram.
“She said YES!!!💍@itsmirandaderrick I love you so much and I’m so honored to be on this journey with you. I remember the first time you hugged me. The best way to describe it is magical (it sounds cliché) but truly in that moment I knew you were the love of my life and you would be my wife one day,” Derrick wrote. “You bring such joy to my life and you inspire me to grow and be better every day. I am so thankful God brought us together and I can’t wait for what’s next for us. Miranda, I love you so much and will cherish you for the rest of my life.”
Miranda shared her own post celebrating the news.
“I said YES!!!💍 Words cannot explain how overwhelmed with joy I am. James, you are more than anything I’ve ever dreamed of and I am so incredibly excited that we get to spend our lives together,” she captioned photos from the proposal. “I remember the first day we met, I fell in love with you and just could not picture spending any of my days without you. It’s as if our love story was already written into the fabric of my life. You are my best friend, my confidant, my teammate and partner. You have continually proven to be such an incredible man inside and out and I love you so much. I am looking forward to watching our journey continue to unfold. Forever my love.”
September 2021
One month after announcing her engagement, Miranda shared a video of herself dancing with Derrick in Las Vegas while wearing a white dress. “What happens in Vegas…🤍✨,” she captioned the video. Miranda and Derrick did not formally confirm their wedding at the time.
Miranda’s family claimed during their February 2022 Instagram Live that they weren’t aware of her wedding until after the fact.
November 2021
The couple posed together on the American Music Awards red carpet.
March 2022
One month after Miranda’s family claimed she was in a cult, she and Derrick responded.
“I am not held against my will and I’ve never been a hostage,” Miranda said in a statement to The Cut. “I go to church and I have faith in God. If one day I wish to pursue my faith elsewhere, I will and feel completely free to do that. As far as my career, my time at 7M Films has been one of the most exciting years ever and if one day I wish to partner with a different management company or start my own company, I will.”
She continued, “No one is forcing me to do anything. I am excited to move forward in this incredible walk with God, an amazing marriage and exciting career. I’m also looking forward to moving past all of this and mend[ing] my relationship with my family privately.”
Derrick, meanwhile, claimed via his Instagram Story that Miranda’s problems with her family stemmed from racism, which the Wilking family denies in the Netflix docuseries.
“[It] started with a white beautiful woman moving in with a poor Black man from Compton that the parents did not approve of,” he claimed.
Shinn, the founder of 7M, also reacted to the Wilking family’s claims via a spokesperson at the time.
“Despite her family’s claims, Miranda is a successful businesswoman and a loving wife and daughter who cares very much about her family,” Shinn’s rep told the Daily Mail. “It is pathetic and contemptible to try to turn her private family matters into a tawdry public scandal for clicks and clout. While the recent portrayals of Dr. Robert Shinn and 7M films have been wildly offensive and riddled with inaccuracies, those false claims will not deter 7M from supporting Miranda in whichever endeavors she chooses to pursue next.”
October 2022
“Unconditional Love❤️🔥🖤,” Derrick wrote via Instagram alongside several snaps of her and Derrick dressed in black leather outfits.
February 2023
Miranda and Derrick walked the Grammys red carpet together.
October 2023
The dancers enjoyed an outing at L.A. Fashion Week.
November 2023
“❤️🥂Happy Birthday to my incredible husband @bdash_2. Here’s to another year of pure joy & beautiful memories! I love you baby❤️,” Derrick wrote via Instagram.
May 2024
Miranda and Derrick both attended Melanie’s wedding to NFL star Austin Ekeler despite their rocky history with the Wilking family. The ceremony came less than one week ahead of the premiere of the Dancing for the Devil docuseries.
“Had such a great time at my sister’s wedding✨💍,” Miranda captioned several Instagram photos from the big day. She did not include any pictures with her sister in the post.
