Arnel Pineda, the Filipino musician who became the frontman of the iconic American band Journey, issued an apology for his performance during the Rock in Rio Festival in Brazil. Pineda’s struggles during the band’s set sparked discussions about whether he should remain with Journey, with Pineda even inviting the public to vote on his future with the group.
In a heartfelt Facebook post on September 22, Pineda expressed his gratitude for the support Journey has received throughout their tour since February. “This year I appreciate [you all],” he wrote. “Every time I’m on stage with the band, I feel immense gratitude, humility, and honor.”
The post was accompanied by a link to a September 21 video from the page Behind the Songs, which has over 430,000 followers. The video critiqued Pineda’s performance during Journey’s September 15 set at Rock in Rio, pointing out his vocal struggles during one of the band’s most iconic songs, Don’t Stop Believin’. “Arnel Pineda showed severe vocal flaws,” the video’s caption read.
Pineda acknowledged his disappointment in the performance. “I am very aware of this,” he said. “[N]o one more than me in this world feels so devastated about this.”
Despite his candid apology, Pineda addressed the weight of being judged for one performance amid a long and successful career. “It’s really amazing how [one] thousand right things you have done will be forgotten just cause of this, and of all the places, it’s in Rock in Rio,” he lamented. He admitted to feeling emotionally and mentally drained from the experience but assured his followers that he would recover in time.
However, Pineda took an unusual step by offering the public a say in his future with Journey. He invited fans and critics alike to cast their vote by texting “GO” or “STAY.” If one million people voted for “GO,” he promised to step down from the band permanently.
“I am offering you a chance now (especially those [who’ve hated] me and never liked me from the very beginning) to simply text GO or STAY right here,” Pineda wrote.
Despite the controversy, many fans flooded the comments with messages of support, urging him to stay with the band.
Pineda joined Journey in 2007, succeeding former frontman Steve Perry. Journey’s current lineup includes Neal Schon, Jonathan Cain, Jason Derlatka, Deen Castronovo, and Todd Jensen. The band, best known for hits like Open Arms, Any Way You Want It, and Faithfully, reached its commercial peak in the late 1970s and 1980s.