“I never considered myself a singer” – P.O.D.’s Sonny Sandoval reflects on 35 years as a metal frontman

P.O.D. frontman Sonny Sandoval recently joined Chaoszine’s My Story As Metal Frontman video series during this year’s Tuska Festival in Helsinki, Finland. In the interview, Sandoval looks back at his journey from a shy teenager with no ambitions of becoming a vocalist to fronting one of nu metal’s most enduring bands for more than three decades.

Growing up in a musical household, Sandoval was surrounded by classic rock from an early age. Bands like AC/DC, Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath were a constant presence at home, although heavier music didn’t truly capture his attention until his teenage years.

“I grew up in a rock and roll family,” Sandoval explains. “AC/DC is still one of my favorite bands.”

Interestingly, becoming a professional musician was never part of the plan. Before joining P.O.D., Sandoval had experimented with rapping alongside friends but had no aspirations of performing on stage. Everything changed when the future members of the band approached him with an idea that blended hip-hop, reggae and heavy music.

“It wasn’t something I planned on doing. I never said I wanted to be in a band or do this for a living.“

Looking back at P.O.D.’s earliest recordings, Sandoval admits he was still searching for his own voice and had very little idea what he was doing behind the microphone.

“I was trying to find my rapping voice. I was trying to find my heavier voice. When I listen back to those early records now… they’re horrible,” he laughs. “But you learn. I’m still learning today.“

That learning process eventually led him to vocal coaching after the band signed its first major record deal. Until then, he had never warmed up before performances, visited a throat specialist or even thought about taking care of his voice.

“I didn’t realize this was my instrument.“

Nowadays, things are very different. Before every concert, Sandoval spends about an hour stretching and warming up his voice, something he says has become just as important mentally as it is physically.

“It’s not only about warming up your voice. It also gives you the confidence to walk on stage thinking, ‘I can do this.'”

Throughout the interview, Sandoval also discusses how touring has changed over the years. While youthful adrenaline once carried him through months on the road, he now pays much closer attention to recovery and rest.

“Sleep is everything. If you don’t get enough sleep, your body will shut down. Sometimes that’s even worse than having a sore throat.“

The conversation also touches on P.O.D.’s upcoming eleventh studio album, which Sandoval describes as one of the band’s most ambitious releases to date. Featuring seven-string guitars, heavier arrangements and some of his most melodic vocal performances yet, he believes the record will surprise longtime fans.

“It’s still P.O.D., but it’s very much who we are right now.“

Despite fronting one of rock’s most recognizable bands for over 35 years, Sandoval remains remarkably humble about his abilities as a vocalist.

“I don’t consider myself a singer,” he says. “I can’t sing like Justin Bieber or an R&B vocalist. I only know how to be Sonny in P.O.D.—and that’s enough.“

To close the interview, Sandoval offers a simple but heartfelt message to aspiring metal vocalists.

“You’ve got to have fun. Do it because you truly love it. You can watch all the YouTube tutorials you want, but eventually you just have to grab the microphone and do it.“

You can watch Sonny Sandoval’s full My Story As Metal Frontman interview below:

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