Arnel Pineda thanks fans and slams "cowards" after receiving overwhelming support in the wake of Rio In Rio criticism

Arnel Pineda has issued his first statement since offering to quit Journey. The singer, who has fronted the group since 2007, initially turned heads when he asked fans to vote on his future with the band.

In a 2022 interview with Ultimate Classic Rock, drummer Deen Castronovo said that Pineda had been working with a vocal coach to fix a long-standing vocal issue and that adjusting the volume on stage helped.

Journey singer Arnel Pineda responded to criticism of his Rock in Rio performance by offering to leave the band if enough fans voted for him to quit.

Arnel Pineda received support anew from another bandmate, this time Journey's drummer Deen Castronovo, who came to the former's defense against critics of his earlier poor performance in

"Arnel dont listen to these blogs. They are all bought. You’ve kicked a--!" guitarist Neal Schon wrote in support of the vocalist.

Arnel Pineda has been the voice of Journey since 2007. While many fans consider Steve Perry to be the best Journey vocalist of all time, there have been several singers over the years, and Pineda has been going strong for almost 20 years now.