Samar-native Ryan “Gold” Gento started composing Original Pilipino Music (OPM) in 2008 in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia where he worked as an auto mechanic.

Then when he found help from Israel Allen Pascua who did the music arrangements, he started posting it on his Facebook and YouTube accounts under “Ryan Gold”.

“Homesick ako noon, kaya sabi ko, subukan ko kayang gumawa ng songs,” said Gento, who first composed “Nandito Lang Ako”. He has 13 other songs.

Six years later in Edmonton, Gento’s work was discovered by a friend, Mark Peralta, a photographer, who later on introduced him to Wefix Auto’s Chris Ayson and Laarni Lising.

“We just want to support him and let everybody know na mayroon tayong OPM artist dito sa Edmonton,” said Lising who introduced Gento , December 6, at the Manila Grill Restaurant.

Gento said he will keep on writing songs if he is off from full-time work as an auto mechanic or part-time work as a cook.

Photo by Moses Billacura | Alberta Filipino Journal