So Terrell, You started your singing career at a very young age, what inspired you to try singing at all?
Yes, my dad, uncles, grandpa, great uncle and great aunt are all amazing singers and really great self-taught piano players. I sing too and play a little piano, but I may be the only one that plays the guitar really well in the family.
Since you are only 13, How do you manage school with your busy schedule?
I don’t know! I’ve been doing it for almost 9 years, so I guess I’m used to juggling it all now. You have to make good grades in school in order to be an actor, so if you want to do this you have to learn how to make it work.
What’s an average day for “Terrell Ransom Jr.” look like?
An average day consists of me doing school work and if I have an audition, which a lot of the times come through the day before, I spend time memorizing lines and working on the character. If I don’t have auditions, I’m usually working on my music, trying to persuade my mom to let me play video games, watching Netflix or hanging with my friends.
Whats your friends and parents thoughts on your career in singing and acting?
My friends and parents are really supportive of my music and acting. They’ve always been. My parents are always pushing me to work hard at everything I do. Everyone is really rooting for me and that’s a great feeling to have!
How would you describe your musical style?
My musical style is a mixture of hip-hop with a little pop. It’s supposed to be fun to listen to…but I definitely have hidden messages in the lyrics that make people think.
What artists do you look up to right now?
I’m a huge fan of Pharrell Williams. His music career is incredible! He sings, he raps and produces super dope beats. I actually do all three too and someday I hope to be as great as he is. I also love the rapper Logic because his songs have a lot of great messages and I definitely want my music to be fun but talk about important things like I did in my single “Where You From.”
Your first single, “Where You From” was released earlier this year . How did this song come about? & Whats the meaning of the song?
I love music and a lot of different genres not just rap. If I’m not creating music, I’m listening to it, even when I go to sleep. I was always writing my own lyrics to familiar songs and I think that inspired me to try to create my own song. The idea and lyrics for “Where You From” literally came to me in the middle of the night. I rapped the lyrics to my mom and she loved it! She couldn’t believe that I had written it. I produced a beat for it, shot a video guerrilla style and released it just like that. The meaning of “Where You From” is basically how we need to open our eyes and be aware of what’s happening in our communities, especially the hate and violence.
How did you guys come up with the name Kid Prodigy?
When I was young, my mom was always telling me that I was a little kid prodigy, that I was her little prodigy, so that really inspired me growing up. I think of myself as a kid prodigy, because I feel like I do a lot of different things. I’m smart, I’m a 13 year old 9th grader. I’m an actor, I’m a singer, rapper and musician, so I’m sort of like a triple threat.
I watched your newest music video for your new single, “Where You From”. How did the idea for this music video come about? & what’s the process to make a “Kid Prodigy” music video?
I really loved the idea of the changing background in a video, so I found some awesome colored walls and started filming. The process to making a “Kid Prodigy” music video is quite a hard one. Since I film my own videos for Terrell’s World, I am kind of a “diva director.” Everything has to be perfect!
Can we expect any new music soon? If so can you spill some details about them?
Yes, I have quite a few beats that I’ve made that I’m perfecting now and writing lyrics to. I’m hoping to either drop a new single in the near future or maybe an EP.
Are there any other projects in the works you can tell us about?
I can’t say much about the project, but I was on location for a month filming a movie that I’m super excited about. It’s such a great opportunity and I’m working with some awesome actors, so stayed tuned!
You are also a actor with a really impressive resume. What inspired you to try acting at such a young age?
Thank you! I was watching Hannah Montana and I remember telling my mom that I wanted to be on TV, in movies and magazines. She told me I was only three years old and I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. I told her I did. Six months later my mom and I moved from Houston to Los Angeles, so that I could try acting and see if I liked it.
How was the whole experience playing Theo for seven years on DOOL like?
It was a really interesting experience because it was my first television audition and acting role that I booked. I filmed close to 40 episodes the first year too. It was such a serious and important role because the character had autism. It helped me become a great actor!
What did you like most about playing Theo?
The best part was being able to play James Reynold’s and Renee Jones’s son on TV! They were two of the best tv parents ever! I also gained an entire family with the cast and crew.
What were some of the challenges?
The main challenge was learning how to play an autistic child. One of the producers and my mom set it up so that I could meet with some children who had autism, so I could interact with them which helped make my portrayal so believable.
You are currently the voice of Darwin Watterson, in the animated hit The Amazing World of Gumball, which airs on Cartoon Network. What is the difference from being on a soap opera than being on an animated show like the Amazing World of Gumball ?
On a soap opera everything is really serious and way more dramatic compared to a super, crazy, fun show like The Amazing World of Gumball.
Is it more challenging being the voice of an animated character like Darwin or playing a role like Theo on a soap opera?
Voice acting is easier. I say it a lot, but it’s true. I can go to the studio in my pajamas, record my lines for an episode in an hour or two and I’m done. It’s a lot more work when I’m acting in front of the camera like with Days because I have to memorize lines, work with other people, and film tons of scenes from different angles. But I love doing them both.
You have gained a huge amount of fans from all the acting jobs you have done. How do you want your relationship to be with your fans?
I want my fans to be just like my friends. That’s why I try to respond to a lot of the positive comments and thank them for being nice and supportive.
What was the craziest fan encounter you have had?
I would have to say the craziest, but in a good way, has had to be the fan encounters at the Days of Our Lives events at Universal Studios Hollywood. People would pack the City Walk out just to see all of their favorite soap actors. They flew in from all over the world too! I couldn’t believe how much they loved little Theo Carver over in Europe and Australia.
What social media platform do you use most to stay connected to your fans?
I use most of all the social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. But if you really want to stay connected, you have to follow me on Instagram. Especially now that I can broadcast live, so it’s going to be like hanging out with my fans. That’s going to be fun!
You also started a Youtube channel. I have seen a few of your videos and they are hilarious. What made you want to start making videos on YouTube?
Thank you so much! I was always telling funny stories to my friends and family about things that happened to me or I would make fun of my family by dressing up and acting like them. I just started recording and bam Terrell’s World was born!
What is the process to make a “Terrell Ransom Jr.” YouTube video?
The process of a “Terrell Ransom Jr” video is making sure everything is super funny to me. If you can make yourself laugh 9 times out of 10 other people will find your stuff funny too.
What are your favorite videos to make?
The videos of me acting like other people are my favorites! I really love laughing at the stuff that I do while the camera is recording and the editing process can be hilarious too.
What goals have you set out for yourself in your career and in your personal life?
Right now, career wise, my goal is to book two of my dream roles, a lead superhero in a Marvel movie series like The Avengers and a Jedi role in a Star Wars movie. Personally, I want to get through high school and make good grades so I can get into college.
Do you have any advice for aspiring actors?
To follow your dreams and never give up on them. If you want to act, you should know that it can be fun but it’s a lot of hard work! Anything worth having in life requires hard work. These are words my mom always says.
How has this whole acting career experience been for you?
So far my acting career has been really great to me! I’ve worked a lot since starting at 4 years old. I’ve booked some awesome roles on some amazing shows. I’ve met some really cool people that are some of my closest friends now and I’m only 13! I have a long way to go and I’m super excited about my future!
Last thing, Do you have anything you went to tell your fans?
Thanks for being my fans, even though I don’t know how you do it, because I’m a weirdo! No seriously, I really appreciate all of your love and support!
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Photo Source: Photographer Birdie Thompson and Stylist Terrell Ransom Sr.
