Book Ester Dean

Ester Dean is an American singer-songwriter, producer and actress who became one of pop's go-to hitmakers in the late 2000s and 2010s, writing for Rihanna, Beyoncé, Nicki Minaj, Katy Perry and Britney Spears. Raised in Tulsa, she later moved to Atlanta at 20 to chase songwriting. Producer Christopher "Tricky" Stewart discovered her when he heard her singing along in the crowd at a Gap Band concert and signed her to a publishing deal. After relocating to Los Angeles, she connected with Polow da Don and signed with Zone 4 under Interscope, releasing the 2009 single "Drop It Low" featuring Chris Brown, which reached No. 38 on the Billboard Hot 100. Her songwriting breakthrough came with Stargate on Rihanna's chart-topping "Rude Boy," and she went on to write Rihanna's "What's My Name" and "Where Have You Been." She also holds credits on the albums Bionic (2010) and Stronger (2011), has earned a Grammy nomination, and released Miss Ester Dean (2015) and Private Party (2024). On screen she is known for the Pitch Perfect film series, bringing humor and big vocals to every appearance.