Filipino Singer Says It Would Be His 'Honor' To Play With STONE TEMPLE PILOTS

Filipino musician John Borja, who is rumored to have auditioned for STONE TEMPLE PILOTS' vacant singer position, says that it would be an "honor" for him to follow in the footsteps of the late Scott Weiland and LINKIN PARK's Chester Bennington as the third lead vocalist of the veteran rock act.

Although there has been no official confirmation that Borja has the job, he indicated on Facebook that he recently took a trip to the U.S. during the first week of September, while also posting a photo of himself with STP bassist Robert DeLeo and DEF LEPPARD guitarist Phil Collen, taken last week in San Juan Capistrano, California. The latter two musicians currently play together in the blues project DELTA DEEP. What remains unclear is the nature of Borja's trip.

Asked by the Filipino web site Radio Republic to comment on the reports that he is being considered for the singer position in STONE TEMPLE PILOTS, Borja said: "As of now, I can't give the full details yet, but there are clues or hints that seem to be favorable to me.

"Let's wait for them to give the official announcement."

He added: "I respect the guys' decision, whatever it is. It would be my honor to play music with them."

Although Borja is a huge fan of Weiland, he is confident that he can do the STP music justice. "[Weiland] is irreplaceable, no doubt about it, but I think I can carry his legacy through my personality, despite being Filipino," he said.

He also talked about what he would add to the band's sound. "More melodic and powerful, that's the kind of voice I can provide to STP," he said.

STP began its hunt for a new frontman with open auditions last February, continuing into the spring with a smaller series of private tryouts for a narrow group of finalists.

Guitarist Dean DeLeo told The Pulse Of Radio earlier this year that STP would not cut corners in its search. "You know, I promise you one thing: we're not gonna settle," he said. "This person has to be really, really great. You know, we had the fortune of being in a band with one of the greats — twice! You know, Chester included. So we're not gonna settle."

The band started its quest following the death last year of Weiland, who had been estranged from the group since 2013, and the end of a short-lived collaboration with Bennington that produced a five-song EP that same year.

Although the members of STP have not revealed the names of anyone who has auditioned for the band, Borja did reportedly try out, as did Toryn Green, who sang for the band FUEL from 2007 through 2010.