In the vast expanse of the creative world, the talent of the Filipino artist remains to be uncontested. We see this come to the light with more and more proud Filipino creatives effectively making their way into different industries to make their power and influences felt.
In the global music industry, young Filipino, John Vincent Salcedo, is making himself heard–inspiring others to find their truthful sound. At just 28 years old, Salcedo is one of the youngest, not to mention, the only Filipino Vice President of Digital Marketing at Columbia Records, one of the biggest American record labels owned by Sony Music Entertainment.
Starting his career with Sony in 2013, Salcedo has since worked with some of the biggest names in the industry like Harry Styles, Lil Nas X, John Legend, Polo G, Dominic Fike, and Powfu, just to name a few. As a young executive, he’s bringing new energy, a fresh perspective, and an innovation to digital marketing.
Salcedo and his family moved from the Philippines to New Jersey when he was 10 years old, and it was there that he discovered his passion for hip-hop. He created his own music as a teen and explored numerous ways to promote his music in the highly competitive industry.
Over the years, he learned the ins and outs of the entertainment business and the musical psyche of fans and artists, and drew from these highly valuable experiences to build an impressive career in music – this time exploring the business-marketing side.
“I understood specific ways to put out music, and how to communicate with people in a way that was authentic and powerful. When I started out in the industry, I didn’t even realize that what I did was something that some people took as a college course. I learned everything from my own personal experience – by promoting my own music when I was younger and helping other fellow artists out,” Salcedo shares.
He was so passionate and invested in the role that by the time he was 18, he stopped making his own music altogether and poured himself into helping others. He adds, “While experimenting as a musician myself, I freely explored the different ways to get my music out there. So by the time I was 18, I had gained this wealth of knowledge and experience – with a unique understanding of what works and what doesn’t – which I’m now using to manage artists, market their music, and successfully get their projects off the ground.”
As VP of Digital Marketing, Salcedo and his team are responsible for making exciting content for their artists and helping them grow their audiences and fans. “With the boom of digital, the opportunities to connect are limitless. But this has also made it more competitive. So, we help our artists develop and produce content like documentaries, music videos and the like for their official channels. We make sure that their presence online is felt every single day,” he says.
Salcedo is proud to represent Filipinos in the industry and hopes to open up more opportunities for Fil-Am musicians and creatives back home. “Filipinos have wild talent and as one of those who have been blessed with a position in one of the biggest global music labels, I hope to bridge the gap, build more connections, and bring to the spotlight our creative prowess.”