Chino Moreno Net Worth

What is Chino Moreno's Net Worth?

Chino Moreno is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and guitarist who has a net worth of $6 million.

Chino Moreno is best known as the lead vocalist and primary lyricist of Deftones, one of the most influential alternative metal bands of the last several decades. With a voice that can move from whispery melody to full-throttle screams, Moreno helped define Deftones' distinctive blend of heavy guitars, dreamlike atmosphere, post-hardcore intensity, shoegaze texture, and emotional ambiguity.

As the frontman of Deftones, Moreno has released albums including "Adrenaline," "Around the Fur," "White Pony," "Deftones," "Saturday Night Wrist," "Diamond Eyes," "Koi No Yokan," "Gore," "Ohms," and "Private Music." The band won a Grammy Award for the song "Elite" from "White Pony," and over time developed one of the most devoted fan bases in modern rock. Moreno has also explored more experimental sounds through side projects including Team Sleep, Crosses, Palms, and Saudade, establishing himself as a restless musician whose interests extend far beyond traditional metal.

Early Life

Chino Moreno was born Camillo Wong Moreno on June 20, 1973, in Sacramento, California. He is of Mexican, Chinese, Irish, and Native American ancestry. He grew up in Sacramento and attended McClatchy High School, where he met future Deftones members Stephen Carpenter and Abe Cunningham.

Moreno's nickname, "Chino," came from his childhood appearance and heritage. Before music became his life, he worked regular jobs and developed a love for punk, metal, new wave, hip-hop, and experimental rock. Those wide-ranging influences later became a major part of Deftones' sound.

Deftones

Deftones formed in Sacramento in the late 1980s with Moreno on vocals, Stephen Carpenter on guitar, Abe Cunningham on drums, and later Chi Cheng on bass. The band emerged from the same broad era that produced nu metal, but Deftones quickly proved more atmospheric, romantic, and experimental than many of their peers.

Their debut album, "Adrenaline," was released in 1995 and introduced the band's raw, aggressive early sound. The follow-up, "Around the Fur," arrived in 1997 and brought them a wider audience through songs such as "My Own Summer (Shove It)" and "Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away)." Moreno's contrast of soft, sensual vocals and sudden screams became one of the band's defining traits.

Deftones reached a new creative level with "White Pony" in 2000. The album featured "Change (In the House of Flies)," "Digital Bath," and "Elite," and pushed the band into more experimental territory. "White Pony" became the group's signature album and won a Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance for "Elite."

The band continued evolving with "Deftones" in 2003 and "Saturday Night Wrist" in 2006. In 2008, bassist Chi Cheng was seriously injured in a car accident, leaving him in a coma. Deftones shelved the album they had been working on, "Eros," and eventually returned with "Diamond Eyes" in 2010, featuring Sergio Vega on bass. Cheng died in 2013.

Deftones remained a major force in heavy music with later albums including "Koi No Yokan," "Gore," "Ohms," and "Private Music." The band's longevity has been unusual. Rather than being remembered only as a 1990s act, Deftones became increasingly influential with younger listeners and newer bands, many of whom cite Moreno's vocals and the band's atmospheric heaviness as major inspirations.

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Side Projects

Moreno has spent much of his career working outside Deftones as well. His side project Team Sleep explored dream pop, trip-hop, post-rock, and electronic influences. The group's self-titled album, "Team Sleep," was released in 2005 and became a cult favorite among fans who wanted to hear Moreno in a more spacious and experimental setting.

He later formed Crosses, stylized as †††, with Shaun Lopez and Chuck Doom. Crosses blended darkwave, electronic rock, synth-pop, and moody alternative music. The project released several EPs, a self-titled album, and the later album "Goodnight, God Bless, I Love U, Delete." Crosses gave Moreno another outlet for his melodic and atmospheric instincts.

Moreno also sang with Palms, a project featuring former members of Isis. Their self-titled 2013 album leaned into post-metal, ambient rock, and cinematic textures. In addition, he has been involved with Saudade and has made guest appearances with various artists across rock, metal, electronic, and experimental music.

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