A Vancouver Island singer乌鸦传媒檚 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乌鸦传媒檚 season of Canada乌鸦传媒檚 Got Talent, was asked to take centre court at Toronto乌鸦传媒檚 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.

乌鸦传媒淚 feel like if I didn乌鸦传媒檛 say yes, there wouldn乌鸦传媒檛 have been that opportunity to do it again 乌鸦传媒� In my heart, I really wanted to do it,乌鸦传媒� Salgado said. 乌鸦传媒淏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.乌鸦传媒�

Last month乌鸦传媒檚 performance wasn乌鸦传媒檛 the first time Salgado sang at a sporting event 乌鸦传媒� he sang the anthem at a Vancouver Canucks game at Rogers Arena in 2021 乌鸦传媒� 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 乌鸦传媒楾he Power of Love乌鸦传媒� concert with Jona Kristinsson and Jonah O Connor. The show will include original material from all three performers, as well as some familiar staples.

乌鸦传媒淲ith everything that乌鸦传媒檚 happening in the world, music is so vital in a lot of our lives 乌鸦传媒� it brings us together, brings us peace and gives us the chance to unite with our loved ones,乌鸦传媒� Salgado said.

During the concert, the singer plans to debut his song titled Filter that allows him to 乌鸦传媒渁ccept and acknowledge that it乌鸦传媒檚 OK not to be perfect.乌鸦传媒� He wrote it before performing on Canada乌鸦传媒檚 Got Talent last year, and is the first original song he乌鸦传媒檚 written in a long time.

乌鸦传媒淔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,乌鸦传媒� Salgado said. 乌鸦传媒淚 think a lot of people need this type of song to know that they乌鸦传媒檙e not alone, especially when it comes to the seeking of approval from others.乌鸦传媒�

乌鸦传媒楾he Power of Love乌鸦传媒� concert takes place at St. Andrew乌鸦传媒檚 United Church on Fitzwilliam Street on Saturday, Feb. 10, at 7 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online at .

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