Sonny Sandoval

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Sonny Sandoval
Hellfest 2013 POD Sonny Sandoval (cropped).JPG
Sandoval performing in 2013
Background information
Birth namePaul Joshua Sandoval
Born (1974-05-16) May 16, 1974 (age 50)
San Diego, California, U.S.
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Musician
  • rapper
  • singer
  • songwriter
Years active1992–present
Labels

Paul Joshua "Sonny" Sandoval (born May 16, 1974) [1] is an American musician, rapper, singer, and songwriter. He is best known as the co-founder and lead vocalist of nu metal band P.O.D.

Contents

Biography

Sandoval was born in San Diego, California. [1] to a Chamorro-Hawaiian mother and a Mexican-Italian father. [2] He grew up in the Otay Mesa neighborhood of South San Diego which was a Chicano barrio.[ citation needed ] When he was eighteen, Sandoval's mother was diagnosed with leukemia. [3] During her illness, Sandoval was greatly influenced by his mother's faith as a devout Christian. [4] [5] He pursued a career as an MC and later joined the band Enoch, a group started by Wuv Bernardo, Gabe Portillo and Marcos Curiel, which, with the addition of Sandoval, later became P.O.D. (initialism for "Payable On Death"). Sandoval states his musical roots as reggae, rock, and rap, all of which are apparent in P.O.D.[ citation needed ]

Career

P.O.D.

Sandoval is best known as co-founder and the lead vocalist of the metal band P.O.D. Over the course of their career, the band has received three Grammy Award nominations, contributed to numerous motion picture soundtracks and toured internationally. They have sold over 12 million records worldwide. [3] With their third studio album, The Fundamental Elements of Southtown , P.O.D. achieved their initial mainstream success; the album was certified platinum by the RIAA in 2000. [6] [7]

The Whosoevers

Since 2008, Sandoval has been part of an outreach group, The Whosoevers, with Ryan Ries, Lacey Sturm, of Flyleaf, and Brian Welch, guitarist for the nu metal band Korn.

Other work

Sandoval appeared in Project 86's self-titled album in the song "Six Sirens". In 2004, he contributed to two tracks on Anastacia's self titled album, "Seasons Change" and "I Do". He has been named number 63 in Hit Parader's Top 100 Metal Vocalists of All Time in 2006.

In 2009, Sandoval appeared on Tribal Seeds' new album The Harvest, in the song "Warning". In 2010, Sandoval appeared on War of Ages' fourth album release Eternal , in the song "Eternal". In 2010, Sandoval appeared on Lecrae's fourth album release Rehab , in the song "Children of the Light". In 2011, Sandoval appeared on Dominic Balli's single, "American Dream". In 2012, Sandoval appeared on For Today's fourth album release Immortal , in the song "The Only Name". Also in 2013, Sandoval appeared on the track "Something Better" released on Flyleaf's EP Who We Are .[ citation needed ] He appeared on Islander's album, Violence & Destruction on the track, "Criminals".

Personal life

Family

He and his wife Shannon married in 1996, and have two daughters, Nevaeh and Marley, and a son, Justice. Sandoval is widely credited with the sudden popularity of the name Nevaeh, which, as he revealed on MTV Cribs , is "heaven" spelled backwards. [8] [9]

Appearance

For most of P.O.D.'s career, Sandoval was well known for his dreadlocks (which, by the release of the video for "Going in Blind", reached his waist), but since the release of P.O.D.'s seventh studio album, When Angels & Serpents Dance , he has cut them off. [10]

Discography

P.O.D.

Guest appearances

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">P.O.D.</span> American nu metal band

P.O.D. is an American Christian nu metal band formed in 1992 and based in San Diego, California. The band's line-up consists of vocalist Paul Joshua "Sonny" Sandoval, bassist Mark "Traa" Daniels, lead guitarist Marcos Curiel, and drummer Noah "Wuv" Bernardo. They have sold over 12 million records worldwide.

<i>The Fundamental Elements of Southtown</i> 1999 studio album by P.O.D.

The Fundamental Elements of Southtown is the third studio album and major label debut of Christian nu metal band P.O.D., released on August 24, 1999. It went on to become the band's first platinum album, peaking at No. 51 on the Billboard 200 chart in April 2000. It was the 143rd best-selling album of 2000 in the United States. "Southtown" and "Rock the Party " became the album's singles, both of which were accompanied by music videos. The album also includes a cover of U2's "Bullet the Blue Sky".

<i>Payable on Death</i> 2003 studio album by P.O.D.

Payable on Death is the self-titled fifth studio album by Christian nu metal band P.O.D. It is the group's first album to feature guitarist Jason Truby following the controversial departure of Marcos Curiel, and their last album produced by Howard Benson. Payable on Death was released on November 4, 2003, through Atlantic and marks a notable de-emphasizing of the band's distinctive rap metal style. While a commercial disappointment compared to Satellite, it still managed to sell over 1,300,000 copies worldwide.

<i>Snuff the Punk</i> 1994 studio album by P.O.D.

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Jason Truby is an American guitarist. He began his career in 1989 with Living Sacrifice as lead guitarist. He was also a member of P.O.D., but has also performed with Phil Keaggy, David Beegle, Ashley Cleveland and her husband Kenny Greenberg, and was a guest performer with Phil Keaggy's band Glass Harp at the First Annual Denver Guitar Festival.

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Mark "Traa" Daniels is the bass guitarist of the San Diego rock band P.O.D. He has been a member since 1993 and has performed on all of the band's official records. The band has released thirteen albums – Snuff the Punk, Brown, Payable on Death Live, The Fundamental Elements of Southtown, Satellite, Payable on Death, Testify, Greatest Hits: The Atlantic Years, When Angels & Serpents Dance, Murdered Love, SoCal Sessions, The Awakening, and Circles. Traa is married and has two children, and as a bassist, has a jazz and funk background.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marcos Curiel</span> Musical artist

Marcos Curiel is the lead guitarist of rock bands P.O.D., The Accident Experiment and Daylight Division. Curiel was born in San Diego, California, in 1974 and is of Mexican descent. He grew up in the neighboring city of Chula Vista, where he graduated from Bonita Vista High School in 1992. Curiel started P.O.D. that year, along with friend Noah "Wuv" Bernardo. The band started building a strong local fanbase, releasing several albums independently. In 1998, they were signed to a record deal and released their hit albums The Fundamental Elements of Southtown (1999) and Satellite (2001) including hit singles, "Alive" and "Youth of the Nation". Both albums have had mainstream success, gaining multi Platinum certifications by the RIAA and three Grammy Award nominations. P.O.D. has also contributed to numerous motion picture soundtracks and toured internationally. Marcos has attended the Howard Fine Acting Studio. Curiel is the youngest member of P.O.D.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Noah Bernardo</span> American drummer

Noah "Wuv" Bernardo Jr. is an American musician, most notably the guitarist and drummer for Christian nu metal band P.O.D.

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<i>When Angels & Serpents Dance</i> 2008 studio album by P.O.D.

When Angels & Serpents Dance is the seventh studio album by Christian metal band P.O.D., released in 2008. It is the first album to include Marcos Curiel since Satellite and the only P.O.D. album released on Columbia. It also includes Mike Muir from Suicidal Tendencies, Helmet guitarist/vocalist Page Hamilton, guest Gospel Choir, and the Marley Sisters. The album debuted at number 9 on the Billboard 200, selling over 34,000 copies in its first week. It has sold over 200,000 copies worldwide so far. A remixed and remastered version of the album, relabeled under Mascot Records, was released on October 14, 2022.

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References

  1. 1 2 "Sonny Sandoval". myheritage.com. Retrieved 2020-10-08.
  2. "Booyaka Booyaka! P.O.D. Frontman Sonny Sandoval on Mysterio, Mania, and making music | Slam Wrestling". 8 August 2021.
  3. 1 2 "P.O.D. – The Cost of The Crusade". ccmmagazine.com. 2015-11-16. Retrieved 2020-10-08.
  4. "Sonny Sandoval". 21 November 2006.
  5. Smith, Debra (Spring 2011). Price, Tom (ed.). "The Whosoevers - Bringing Youth to Christ (Sonny's Testimony)". Calvary Chapel Magazine. 47: 36–43.
  6. MacKenzie, Wilson. "P.O.D. Biography". AllMusic . Retrieved December 4, 2007.
  7. "P.O.D. leaves Atlantic Records and Curiel returns". Blabbermouth . Roadrunner Records. December 20, 2006. Retrieved December 4, 2007. P.O.D. was with Atlantic for four albums and two EPs. The band signed with Atlantic in 1998, after selling more than 40,000 copies of its independently released EPs. The group's Atlantic debut, "The Fundamental Elements of Southtown", came out in 1999 and went platinum, while 2001's "Satellite" was a multi-platinum success. But the group felt that personnel changes at Atlantic were responsible for recent sales dips — more than 500,000 copies of 2003's "Payable On Death" were sold, but less than 250,000 copies of the recent "Testify".
  8. Harris, Dan (May 18, 2006). "Rock Star's Baby Name Rockets up Charts for Kids". ABC News . Retrieved 2006-05-30.
  9. Lee, Jennifer 8. (May 18, 2006). "And if It's a Boy, Will It Be Lleh?". The New York Times . Retrieved 2006-05-30.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  10. Sonny explains why he cut his dreads. February 28, 2008. Archived from the original on 2021-12-22.
  11. "New Song Featuring JAMEY JASTA Available For Free Download". Blabbermouth.com. April 4, 2012. Archived from the original on April 7, 2012. Retrieved April 4, 2012.
  12. "Dominic Balli - American Dream". Discogs . 2011.