We recently connected with Raymond Salgado and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Raymond thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

I think the first time I knew I wanted to pursue a creative path professionally was when I was 11 years old. My mom put me into a local talent competition, and looking back, that really became the start of everything for me.

At that age, I don’t think I fully understood what it meant to be an artist yet. I just knew that when I sang, something inside me opened up. Performing gave me a feeling I didn’t always have in everyday life, the feeling that I was allowed to exist, to take up space, and to be myself.

Growing up in Canada with immigrant parents, I always felt like I was carrying different worlds inside of me. I was trying to understand where I fit, who I was, and how much of myself I was allowed to show. On top of that, coming to terms with my sexuality made me feel different in ways I didn’t always have the words for. There were moments where I struggled with feeling worthy, visible, or fully accepted.

Music became more than a hobby for me. It became a necessity. It was the one place where I didn’t have to explain every part of myself. I could just sing, and somehow the emotion made sense. The stage became a place where I could transform pain, confusion, and insecurity into something beautiful, something that could connect with people.

That local talent competition was the beginning, but the deeper reason I kept going was because music made me feel alive and seen. It gave me permission to be expressive, emotional, different, and honest. Over time, I realized that my voice wasn’t just something I had, it was something I could use to help other people feel less alone too.

So for me, pursuing a creative path didn’t start as this polished dream of fame or success. It started as a young kid trying to find a place in the world. Music became the place where I felt safe enough to become myself. And that’s why I’ve held onto it ever since.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My name is Raymond Salgado, and I’m a Filipino-Canadian singer-songwriter and recording artist from Vancouver Island, Canada. At the core of everything I do, I’m a storyteller. Music has always been the place where I could express the parts of myself I didn’t always know how to explain the pain, the joy, the longing, the hope, and the healing.
I first got into music when I was 11 years old, when my mom entered me into a local talent competition. Looking back, that moment really became the start of everything. Around that time, I also began taking lessons with my vocal teacher, Andrea Bertram, who saw something in me before I fully saw it in myself. As a young boy trying to understand where I fit in the world, that kind of validation meant everything. To have someone hear my potential and recognize my worth gave me the confidence to keep going.

But the biggest reason I have a career in music is my parents. Growing up Filipino-Canadian with immigrant parents, I carried the culture, sacrifices, values, and dreams of my family while also trying to find my own identity. Coming to terms with my sexuality made me feel different in ways I didn’t always have the words for, and music became the place where I felt allowed to exist, take up space, and be myself.

Over time, I began sharing my voice online, and people from around the world started connecting with my performances. Even though I haven’t released a lot of original music yet, which I’m preparing to share in 2026 and beyond, this journey has already opened doors I once only dreamed of from Canada’s Got Talent to being seen by millions online, and even being recognized in different ways by artists I grew up admiring, including Katy Perry, Olivia Rodrigo, Adele, and so many others. I carry a lot of love and gratitude for those moments because they remind me how far this voice has traveled from where it began.

As an artist, my music is emotional, soulful, cinematic, and honest. It lives somewhere between pop, soul, R&B, and balladry. I’m drawn to songs that feel timeless — songs where the voice and emotion lead. Right now, my original songs are being created and developed as we speak, and this next chapter is about stepping fully into my artistry not only being known as a singer, but also as a songwriter with my own stories to tell.
What I offer is more than entertainment. It’s emotional connection. I don’t sing just to impress people vocally; I sing because I mean it. My voice carries my story — my Filipino-Canadian upbringing, my identity, my struggles, my hopes, and my desire to turn everything I’ve lived through into something meaningful.

What I’m most proud of is that I never gave up on myself, even when the path felt uncertain or impossible. Being an artist comes with a lot of waiting, sacrifice, and self-doubt, but I kept singing and showing up. Now, seeing people around the world connect with my voice reminds me that the things that once made me feel different are actually part of what make my artistry special.

The main thing I want people to know is that my brand is built on heart, honesty, representation, and connection. I want my songs and performances to feel like a safe place somewhere people can feel, heal, remember, release, and believe again. I want anyone who has ever felt unseen, unworthy, or different to know there is beauty in their story too.

As grateful as I am for everything that has happened so far, I truly feel like this is just the beginning. I’m stepping into this next chapter with more honesty, intention, and purpose than ever before. I’m just getting started.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

For me, the most rewarding part of being an artist is knowing that something I’ve lived through, felt, or carried can become something that helps someone else feel less alone.
Music has always been the place where I could put emotions that were hard to explain. So when someone reaches out and says my voice moved them, helped them through a difficult moment, reminded them of someone they love, or made them feel seen, that means everything to me. Those moments remind me that art is bigger than performance. It’s connection.

As a young boy, I needed music to feel like I was allowed to exist and be myself. Now, being able to give that feeling back to other people is one of the greatest gifts of my life. It feels full circle.
Of course, there are exciting moments the opportunities, the recognition, the people you meet, the platforms you get to be part of and I’m so grateful for all of that. But the deepest reward is emotional. It’s the reminder that vulnerability can become strength, and that your story can become a bridge for someone else.

That’s what keeps me going. Knowing that my voice can create a safe space for people to feel, heal, remember, and believe again.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

The mission driving my creative journey is to use my voice and my story to help people feel seen, heard, and less alone.

For me, music has never just been about singing or performing. It has always been about survival, healing, and connection. As a young Filipino-Canadian boy growing up with immigrant parents and learning to understand my identity and sexuality, music became the place where I felt safe enough to exist fully. It gave me a way to express the parts of myself I didn’t always have the words for.

Now, my goal is to turn that same feeling into something I can give back to other people. I want my music to reach anyone who has ever felt different, unseen, unworthy, or like they had to shrink themselves to be accepted. I want my songs and performances to remind people that their emotions are valid, their stories matter, and there is beauty in every part of who they are.

Creatively, I also feel driven to build a body of work that is honest, emotional, and timeless. As I step into releasing original music, I want people to know me not only as a singer, but as a songwriter and storyteller with something real to say.

Ultimately, my mission is to create art that feels like a safe place music that helps people feel, heal, remember, and believe again. And as much as I’m grateful for everything that has happened so far, I really do feel like I’m just getting started.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theraymondsalgado/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/raymondsalgadomusic
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheRaymondSalgado
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@theraymondsalgado