A Vancouver Island singer鈥檚 dream became reality when he flew across the country and sang the national anthem at an NBA game in January.
Two days before the game, Raymond Salgado, who was a finalist in last year鈥檚 season of Canada鈥檚 Got Talent, was asked to take centre court at Toronto鈥檚 Scotiabank Arena for the Toronto Raptors versus Chicago Bulls game on Jan. 18.
The opportunity was a twist of fate since the scheduled singer was unable to perform and the request came on short notice.
鈥淚 feel like if I didn鈥檛 say yes, there wouldn鈥檛 have been that opportunity to do it again 鈥� In my heart, I really wanted to do it,鈥� Salgado said. 鈥淏eing able to sing both the Canadian and American anthems, you just really felt the love of the stadium and crowd. People came up to me and were so complimentary.鈥�
Last month鈥檚 performance wasn鈥檛 the first time Salgado sang at a sporting event 鈥� he sang the anthem at a Vancouver Canucks game at Rogers Arena in 2021 鈥� but as a member of the LGBTQ community, he was especially honoured to start off 2024 by singing on Pride night.
The singer will perform live in Nanaimo this month as a headliner for 鈥楾he Power of Love鈥� concert with Jona Kristinsson and Jonah O Connor. The show will include original material from all three performers, as well as some familiar staples.
鈥淲ith everything that鈥檚 happening in the world, music is so vital in a lot of our lives 鈥� it brings us together, brings us peace and gives us the chance to unite with our loved ones,鈥� Salgado said.
During the concert, the singer plans to debut his song titled Filter that allows him to 鈥渁ccept and acknowledge that it鈥檚 OK not to be perfect.鈥� He wrote it before performing on Canada鈥檚 Got Talent last year, and is the first original song he鈥檚 written in a long time.
鈥淔ilter was almost a song that I needed to write to get out of where I was emotionally. I was in a rut. And the song really just talks about surrounding pressures of society and social media,鈥� Salgado said. 鈥淚 think a lot of people need this type of song to know that they鈥檙e not alone, especially when it comes to the seeking of approval from others.鈥�
鈥楾he Power of Love鈥� concert takes place at St. Andrew鈥檚 United Church on Fitzwilliam Street on Saturday, Feb. 10, at 7 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online at .
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