Is Miranda Derrick Still in the 7M TikTok Cult? Here's What We Know

Frazer Harrison

With so much of the story playing out on social media, viewers are naturally curious as to whether dancer Miranda Derrick, one of the subjects of Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult, Netflix’s latest (reportedly) cult docuseries, is still part of the shady group that—according to her family—brainwashed her with religion. (Derrick, to put it mildly, disagrees with that assessment.)

While we’re not sure exactly when filming on the series wrapped, it seems that some progress has been made between then and May 29, the date of the docuseries was released.

Here’s everything we know about where Miranda and the Wilking family are now, plus the current state of 7M Films and the Shekinah church.

When did Miranda Derrick join 7M?

It's unclear exactly when Miranda signed on to 7M management, which was founded in 2021, but as far as the church goes, it was a process.

Miranda received her first DM from James “BDash” Derrick, now her husband, in April 2019. They collaborated on a dance video and then started a relationship. It was through Derrick’s videographer, Isaiah Shinn, that both James and Miranda became affiliated with Shekinah Church, which was founded by Isaiah's father, Robert Shinn.

During the 2020 pandemic, the couple spent time with the Wilkings in Michigan, which seemingly went well. When they got back to LA, however, Miranda’s sister, Melanie, noticed that Miranda was spending more time at the church.

The first alarm bells started to go off in January 2021, when Miranda did not attend her grandfather’s funeral, saying that she needed permission from “someone closer to God” to fly home to Michigan from LA. She and James got engaged that year, and they married without any of her family present.

What are the allegations against 7M founder Robert Shinn?

Shinn is the founder of 7M Films, a management company that has recruited a number of TikTok-famous dancers, many of whom were vulnerable aspiring artists with little guidance or windfall who had moved to LA to pursue their dreams. According to former 7M dancers, they ended up giving Shinn the majority of their income via tithes and fees, and cut off contact with their outside friends and family. They also attended long, late-night Bible study sessions. Some of the 7M dancers also moved into properties owned by Shinn. These are hallmarks of a high-control group. (And no, it's not normal to sign an NDA in a church.)

Longtime members of Shekinah have also made allegations of sexual abuse by Shinn.

The filmmakers pointed out in their interview with Glamour that dancers were not the only victims of this group, and that there have been former members without large social media followings whose stories deserve to be told as well.

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The team behind Netflix's gripping new docuseries unpacks what it took to expose the “7M TikTok Cult” and what comes next.

What has Miranda said about her time at 7M and Shekinah Church?

After the Wilking family went public with its worries about 7M in February 2022 via Instagram Live, Miranda Derrick released a statement to The Cut, telling the outlet in May 2022, “I am not held against my will and I’ve never been a hostage. 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. No one is forcing me to do anything.”

She also released a lengthy statement on TikTok in August 2022 giving her side of the story, saying basically that she put up boundaries between herself and her family for her own well-being.

In the statement, she alleges that Melanie locked her out of their joint TikTok account, @thewilkingsisters, which had more than 3.1 million followers, after she expressed interest in moving out of their shared apartment. She also accused her parents of disapproving of her decision to move in with James, and that her choice to make less frequent contact was a result of them “calling the cops on my black boyfriend.” (In the docuseries, the Wilkings note that they had called the police for a wellness check after not hearing form Miranda for several days.)

Are the Wilking sisters in contact?

Yes. At the start of the Netflix doc, Melanie Wilking (now Ekeler) says that she is unable to contact her sister due to being blocked on every platform. There’s a heartbreaking scene where their dad goes to the church’s physical location in Los Angeles and asks to be let in to give his daughter a hug, but is met with silence.

Eventually, the family says in the docuseries, they reestablished their connection with Miranda on her condition that they not ask her about 7M or Shekinah. They oblige, fearing that they might lose her forever if they don't agree to her terms. In the doc, Melanie and her parents note that their interactions with Miranda are limited and seemingly superficial, meant to appease followers on TikTok and Instagram.

As of May 29, Melanie is no longer blocked, and in fact she and Miranda follow each other on Instagram. The sisters and their mother posted a dance together in April 2024, for what looks to be Melanie's 25th birthday.

When Melanie got married on May 25, just before the documentary premiered, Miranda was in attendance. She did not appear to attend the bachelorette party, though.

And Miranda wished her mother a happy Mother's Day.

What has Miranda said since the docuseries aired on Netflix?

As of May 29, nothing. She and the other dancers featured in the documentary no longer have any references to 7M or Shekinah in their Instagram bios, but the 7M Instagram account follows Miranda, and vice versa. The 7M website has basically no specifics, but it did update its copyright some time in 2024, so it's apparently not defunct.

Is Miranda Derrick still dancing?

Yes, she is still dancing and posting. She is still married to and living with James, and the two share a dog.

And so is Melanie.

This post may be updated.

Originally Appeared on Glamour