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Who is Arnel Pineda?
Arnel Campaner Pineda, better known as Arnel Pineda, is a Filipino singer and composer who was born on September 5, 1967. He rose to notoriety as the lead singer of the American rock band Journey in the 1980s and globally in 2007.
Arnel Pineda gained fame in Asia as the frontman for the group The Zoo after a series of tragic circumstances in his childhood. After a series of YouTube videos of him singing American songs, including the iconic hit “Don’t Stop Believin’,” he was discovered in 2007 by Journey guitarist Neal Schon.
Pineda took over as Journey’s new lead singer in December 2007. His music has been compared to that of former Journey frontman Steve Perry.
Early Life of Arnel Pineda
Arnel was born on September 5, 1967, in Tondo, Manila, to Restituto Lising Pineda and Josefina Manansala Campaner at St. Jude Thaddeus Diagnostic Clinic. His mother instilled in him a love of singing from a young age, urging him to sing along to Karen Carpenter and Barbra Streisand. His parents entered him in numerous singing competitions as a child.
His mother, who had a heart condition, died when he was 13 years old. Her condition had bankrupted their family. His father chose to move out and ask relatives to take in Pineda’s siblings because they were more than six months late on their flat rent and unable to adequately provide for the family. Pineda dropped out of school and began working to relieve his father’s financial burden.
He was on the streets for approximately two years, sleeping anywhere he could: in public parks or on a tiny bench outside a friend’s busy house. He made a pittance by gathering and selling glass bottles, newspapers, and scrap metal to recyclers.
| Date of birth | September 5, 1967 |
| Place of birth | Sampaloc, Manila, Philippines |
| Family background | Born to a poor family and experienced homelessness and poverty as a child |
| Musical influence | Inspired by his mother, who was a singer in a local band, and started singing at a young age |
| Education | Attended high school at the University of the East in Manila |
| Early music career | Performed with various bands in the Philippines, including Ijos and Amo, before gaining international fame with Journey |
| YouTube discovery | Discovered by Journey’s guitarist Neal Schon on YouTube singing cover songs of Journey and other rock bands |
He and his friends would also go to the pier and do odd tasks like cleaning scrap metal and docked ships. He didn’t eat much, occasionally rationing a small bag of Marie biscuits for two days.
The Career of Arnel Pineda
Pineda began singing at the age of five and, at the age of 15, joined the Filipino group Ijos to pursue singing as a career in 1982. Some Ijos members formed Amo, a pop-rock band that won the Philippines’ Rock Wars competition in 1986.
In 1988, the band won the Yamaha World Band Explosion Contest in the Philippines. Despite being disqualified in the finals due to technical difficulties, the event was shown on Asian television, expanding their following base.
In 1990, the members of Intensity Five formed a new band. This year, the band came in second place, with Pineda receiving the Best Vocalist Award. Pinada was dealing with a number of health problems at the time, and his voice had also broken down. In 1999, he returned to the music industry with a new solo album, ‘Pinada,’ released by Warner Brothers.
In 2001, Pineda founded a new band called 9mm and performed at some of the city’s most famous venues, including Makati City’s Hard Rock Cafe and Hong Kong’s The Edge. In the same year, he recorded “Looking Glass” with the Filipino band South Border for their album “The Way We Do.” Pineda sang the theme song to the Filipino radio show ‘Dayo’ in 2005.
Pineda rose to notoriety with The Zoo, a band he co-founded with guitarist/songwriter Monet Cajipe, who had previously been a member of all of his bands. The Zoo’s album ‘Zoology’ was released in 2007 through MCA Universal.
In February 2007, videos of The Zoo singing cover songs by Journey, Aerosmith, Led Zeppelin, Air Supply, The Eagles, Kenny Loggins, and Stryper were uploaded to YouTube and viewed by millions of people. After seeing one of Arnel Pineda’s YouTube videos, Neal Schon of Journey called Noel Gomez, a friend of Pineda, on June 28, 2007, and Pineda appeared for an audition in Marin County, San Francisco, on August 12, 2007.
On December 5, 2007, Pineda was announced as Journey’s new lead vocalist. On February 21, 2008, he made his debut as the lead singer of Journey at the Quinta Vergara Amphitheatre in Via del Mar, Chile, at the Via del Mar International Song Festival. Journey performed at a private RE/MAX Convention event on March 6, 2008, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada, and at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas on March 8, 2008.
On July 3, 2008, Journey released their first album, ‘Revelation,’ as a newly reconstituted band. throughout 2008, Pinada played 57 shows throughout Spain, Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Ireland, the United States, and Canada to promote the release of ‘Revelation.’ On February 1, 2009, Pineda performed at the Super Bowl XLIII pregame show.
On October 2, 2009, Journey released ‘Live in Manila,’ a two-disc video DVD that captured Pineda’s performance in Pasay City, Philippines.
‘Eclipse,’ Journey’s second album with Arnel Pinada, was released internationally on June 3, 2011. The documentary ‘Don’t Stop Believin’: Everyman’s Journey,’ about the band’s Revelation Tour and Pineda’s early years with the band, was released in 2012.
‘Revelation,’ Journey’s first album with Pineda, debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard Top 200 album chart the week it was released on June 3, 2008. The album remained in the Top 20 for six weeks. The Recording Industry Association of America certified it gold after selling over 336,000 copies in its first few days. ‘Revelation’ had attained platinum status by October 1, 2009.
Here are some of the best highlights of Arnel Pineda’s career:
- Open Arms (Song, 1981)
- Zoology (Album, 2007)
- Owe (Song, 2016)
Relationships of Arnel
| Spouse | Cherry Pineda |
| Date of marriage | 2001 |
| Length of marriage | Over 20 years |
| Children | Two sons, Cherub and Angelo |
Physical Stats of Arnel Pineda
| Height | 5’4″ (163 cm) |
| Weight | 150 lbs (68 kg) |
| Hair color | Black |
| Eye Color | Brown |
Personal Life of Arnel Pineda
In 2001, Pineda married Cherry Pineda. Cherub is their boy, and Thea Chenelle Pineda, their daughter, was born on June 15, 2012. Pineda has two older brothers, Matthew and Angelo. Pineda told Rappler in 2013 that he splits his time between the Philippines and the United States.
| Date of birth | September 5, 1967 |
| Place of birth | Sampaloc, Manila, Philippines |
| Spouse | Cherry Pineda |
| Children | Two sons, Cherub and Angelo |
| Charity work | Supports various charitable causes in the Philippines, including the Arnel Pineda Foundation Inc., which helps underprivileged children |
| Hobbies | Football (soccer), playing guitar, listening to music |
| Religion | Christian |
| Zodiac sign | Virgo |
Pineda and two other Journey members, Jonathan Cain, and Ross Valory, met Donald Trump at the White House in 2017. Neal Schon, the band’s guitarist, was outraged by the action. Pineda later emphasized that he is not affiliated with any political party or religion.
Net Worth of Arnel Pineda
Arnel Pineda is a $20 million net-worth Filipino musician. Arnel Pineda is widely regarded as one of the most popular Filipino musicians of all time, with a global fan base. Although he rose to stardom in his own nation of the Philippines in the 1980s, he eventually became more familiar with Western audiences after joining the band Journey as the new lead singer.
FAQs on Arnel Pineda
Who is Arnel Pineda?
Arnel Pineda is a Filipino singer and songwriter who gained international fame as the lead vocalist of the American rock band Journey.
What are some of Arnel Pineda’s most popular songs with Journey?
Some of Arnel Pineda’s most popular songs with Journey include “Don’t Stop Believin’,” “Faithfully,” “Open Arms,” and “Wheel in the Sky.”
How did Arnel Pineda get discovered by Journey?
In 2007, Journey’s guitarist, Neal Schon, discovered Arnel Pineda on YouTube singing cover songs of Journey and other rock bands.
What was Arnel Pineda’s life like before he joined Journey?
Before joining Journey, Arnel performed with various bands in the Philippines, and he also experienced poverty and homelessness.
Has Arnel Pineda released any solo albums?
Yes, Arnel has released two solo albums: “Arnel Pineda: Arnel Pineda” in 1999 and “Arnel Pineda: AP” in 2016.
Does Arnel Pineda play any musical instruments?
Arnel is primarily a vocalist, but he can also play the guitar and drums.
What other bands have Arnel Pineda been a part of?
Before joining Journey, Arnel was a member of the Filipino bands Ijos and Amo.
Is Arnel Pineda still the lead singer of Journey?
Yes, as of 2023, Arnel is still the lead singer of Journey.
What are some of Arnel Pineda’s other interests besides music?
Arnel is also passionate about humanitarian work and supports various charitable causes in the Philippines. He is also a football (soccer) enthusiast and has played in celebrity football matches.
Has Arnel Pineda won any awards for his music?
Yes, Arnel has won several awards for his music, including the Classic Rock Roll of Honour Award for Best New Band in 2008 and the Vegas Rocks! Magazine Award for Best Rock Voice in 2013.
Conclusion
Arnel is a well-known Filipino singer-songwriter. He has released two major label albums, received a best vocalist award, and performed with several bands as regularly as six days a week for 3-5 hour sets.
Arnel Pineda’s net worth is projected to be at $20 million as of April 2023.
