From streets to stages: Cesc Sansalvadó's musical journey 

Cesc Sansalvadó, a 30-year-old singer born in Barcelona, has quickly become one of Catalonia's most promising musical voices. Starting as a busker in several Spanish cities, he has now grown into the artist he is today, writing and singing his own music.  

Though Cesc found his feet as a full-time singer-songwriter, it wasn't necessarily the original plan. He studied to be a teacher, but music always remained part of his career, even though he didn't fully focus on it. After seven months of teaching, he decided that it was time to go for it and fully focus on becoming a singer, a choice that paid off.  

As a child, Cesc learned to play both piano and guitar. Singing, however, wasn’t something that came naturally: “When I was in school, we had these choirs in school. I was not allowed to sing,” he says, laughing. 

After he and his school band weren't able to find singers, the band members took it upon themselves, leading Cesc to find his voice in the process. "I was awful," he admits. "It was from singing, listening, singing, listening that you find your voice, you find your tone. You learn how to tune better, to sing better." 

Busking in several cities helped him become a better musician: "Singing in the street makes you sing good because if not, you cannot sing five times per week, two hours per day without harming your voice." Busking was a key point to start his musical journey; it eventually even paid the bills. Though, Cesc didn't stop there, releasing his first single 'All I Know' in 2019 and later his debut album titled 'Homeward' in 2024, and with that officially entering the music industry. 

The inspiration for his songs comes from daily life and his personal experiences. "I'm not that extrovert when it's about my personal life, I can seem extroverted, but in terms of feelings and experiences, I'm quite reserved," he says. "I always say that I'm singing secrets." 

And those "secrets" resonate. His music, a rich blend of acoustic folk and pop, has struck a chord with a growing audience. From gentle, melancholic ballads to joyful, upbeat songs, Cesc’s discography offers a wide emotional range.  

Though some are sung in Catalan, most of his songs are in English. "The main reason is that the bands I was listening to when I was a teenager were singing and writing in English. And you have this thing where you want to sound like them," he explains.  

Still, language remains a flexible tool in his songwriting. "One thing that is very interesting for me is that you can have one song, and you can sing it in both languages, Catalan and English. And it's completely a different thing. The musicality of language is very powerful in a song," he says.  

Even though his roots are in Catalonia, he aspires to become a broader, global sound. His decision to sing in English doesn’t feel like a detachment from his home soil, but rather an extension of it: a way to tell his stories in a voice that transcends borders. 

Whether he’s performing to a crowd or busking in one of the city's metro stations, he does so with the same authenticity that draws people to stop and listen. And now, with more music in the works and a steadily growing fan base, it’s clear that the streets of Barcelona were only the beginning. 

Cesc's next performance will be at Razzmatazz on Tuesday, May 27, for the presentation of his new EP. Tickets and other concert dates can be found on his website.