Meet Terrell Ujah | Filmmaker & Musician

We had the good fortune of connecting with Terrell Ujah and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Terrell, any advice for those thinking about whether to keep going or to give up?
This is a question I’ve wrestled with for quite some time now. When you are pursuing a dream like mine, involved in the creative field, there are so many thoughts that run daily. Thoughts questioning if this is really what you’re supposed to be doing with the limited time you have in this world. For me, as early as summer 2025, I was ready to call it quits. I was tired, no longer motivated, and ready to be more present for my own life. I even found myself starting to envy those who had the possibility in their lives to not have to struggle with having to decide whether their dream was worth still fighting for or not. The year 2025 marked my ninth year out of high school as well as my ninth year pursuing film. While much has been learned and a lot of ground has been covered, I still found myself questioning if this was for me. However, the thing that gave me the answer wouldn’t come until I woke up to the words of encouragement from the voices around me, who reminded me of the impact my dream had on them. My company, 101 Avenue, from its start in 2023, has been driven by the slogan Create Together. This slogan that once kept me warm over time started a fire in the ones around me who helped 101 Avenue become what it is today, and it is because of them that I was reminded to keep going. So, in short, I’d say a good sign that you should keep going is if your dream is also impacting and making a difference in the lives of the people around you for the better. Another good sign to keep going is if when you step away from your dream you can’t stop thinking about it. During my time away from film last year I found myself falling back in love with it. I started watching movies for fun again. This too helped me remember my why in all of this too.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My art has always been a mirror reflecting whatever season of life I’m living in at the time. That’s why, especially with my music, I title my albums after school years (Freshman Year, Sophomore Year, and Junior Year so far). Each project acts as a timestamp, a way to chronicle exactly how I felt in that chapter of my life.

That’s also why I’ve made so many films and released so much music in such a short amount of time. Both mediums have helped me process emotion, heal wounds, and keep moving forward. They’ve given me a productive soapbox, a space to say what I need to say, fully and honestly, without interruption.

That mattered deeply to me as a middle child. Growing up, I often felt like I had to conform and become whatever the people around me needed me to be. I learned how to play small to keep the peace, dimming my own light in the process. It wasn’t until I fell in love with filmmaking in 2016, and later music in 2021, that I truly began to find my voice and share it unapologetically.

Of course, that kind of freedom doesn’t come easy. When people see you break out of the mold they placed you in, they sometimes say you’ve “changed” or “switched up.” And maybe you have. I believe learning to love and accept change is exactly what brought me to where I am today.

When I first started on this path nearly ten years ago, I was afraid of change. Afraid of losing people by no longer being what they wanted me to be. But now, I embrace it. Change has become a quiet reminder that I’m doing something right. That growth is allowed, and evolution is necessary.

Just as none of my films or music looks the same year after year, neither do I. I was able to witness this evolution in real time while working on my twelfth production in collaboration with Devian Wester, Labyrinth. This project explores a slice of my life from ten years ago, when I was just beginning to chase my dreams. It reminded me that this path was never easy. Back then, people laughed at the idea of me even asking them to be in a video. I wasn’t taken seriously, and eventually, I stopped taking myself seriously as a result.

Making Labyrinth forced me to confront who I was then. And it hit me: had I chosen the easy path, had I continued to fear change, I’d still be stuck in that same place of lack and defeat. Instead, learning to be okay with change allowed me to endure the hard seasons and arrive where I am now, running my own independent production company, 101 Avenue, having self-funded and completed twelve films, and releasing one album and three EPs under my artist name, Rellx, to date.

The moment I let go of what was and embraced what could be, I could finally breathe again. I became more present. More grounded. More aware that there truly is a time and season for everything and that my art is how I share what each season has taught me.

Along this journey, I also learned the importance of faith. I can smile today knowing that, when I look back over the last ten years, I truly received everything and more by faith. For example, while I’ve been making solo music since 2021, I always desired to be part of a band. Near the end of 2024, God brought that desire to life seamlessly through Chasing Jupiter, featuring Tyler Roe on guitar, Marcus Saint on keys, Michael Swigart on bass, and me on vocals. God has also blessed me over the years with being able to hold five LIVE theater premieres that continue to grow in attendance yearly, having won a film festival for my third film “Save The Date” (2021), having my first feature film “Without Love” streaming on Amazon Prime & Tubi, and having my ninth film “Rematched” (2024) go viral on YouTube. I am living proof that it is worth not settling for the easy path in life and embracing change.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There are so many people I want to thank for helping me become who I am and who I’m still becoming. First, I would like to thank God, the One who planted this dream in my heart as a child and gave me the strength to continue pursuing it well into adulthood.

Also, my family, my foundation. My mom has supported my love for art from the very beginning and always encouraged me to stand out instead of blend in. My dad pushed me to take my education further and study business so that I could have a business mindset to accompany my already creative one. Regarding my siblings, my brother is the one who showed me how to draw from an early age, and my sister was always ready to make little movies with me on our mom’s digital camera in our free time as kids. Lastly, my grandma. I wouldn’t be anywhere near where I am today if she hadn’t invested in my creative journey from an early age. She paid for Saturday morning art classes from age six to sixteen, giving me the chance to learn, explore, collaborate, and experiment with other like-minded youth from an early age. My family isn’t perfect, but they are the bedrock of my journey, and I am grateful for every one of them (including the ones not listed).

I also want to thank everyone who’s been a part of 101 Avenue over the years. From my director of photography, Jalen Spencer, whose eye brings our films to life and whose friendship has often kept me going, to my audio guy, Marjuan Mills, whose wisdom has shaped me more than he probably realizes. Also, big shout-outs to Ki Johnson, who often serves as my right-hand woman (assistant director), and Devian Wester, who believed in me first concerning filmmaking, dating back to high school. And to the incredible on-screen talent I’ve had the honor to work with, ( Hannah Savage, Corey Evans, Anthony Duff, Jaylon Fields, EDwen, Lavoun Galloway, Khalivius, Rue Miller, Arianna Wyant, and Leonna Kendricks and so many more ), thank you for not only what you have brought to the screen but the part you’ve played in my life off of it as well!

There are so many more names than I could ever fit on a page (like the ones that come out to our LIVE showcases every year). But honestly, the fact that I have more people to thank than space to list them is its own blessing. It means I’ve been believed in, supported, challenged, and carried along the way, and I thank God for that.

Instagram: terrellujah

Youtube: Terrell Ujah

Other: YouTube Channel: Terrell Ujah
Apple Music & Spotify: Rellx

Image Credits
Braydon Tomak
Sean Tran