Image Credit: Getty Images for Warner Music
Linkin Park has revealed that it has reunited for a new tour and music, seven years after the death of longtime frontman Chester Bennington, and has brought in rocker Emily Armstrong as a co-vocalist.
Armstrong — along with rock producer Colin Brittain, the band’s new drummer — debuted with the band on Thursday during a live stream showcasing their new single, “The Emptiness Machine,” alongside returning members Mike Shinoda, Brad Delson, Dave “Phoenix” Farrell, and Joe Hahn.
“This is a very special day for us,” Shinoda told the audience, acknowledging their former bandmate, who died by suicide at the age of 41 in July 2017. “In the role of Chester Bennington, this afternoon is each of you.
Linkin Park debuts new vocalist, Emily Armstrong. pic.twitter.com/m1AxM24abi
— Pop Base (@PopBase) September 6, 2024
The California-based rock band invited Armstrong — also the lead singer of Dead Sara — to join the iconic group around September 2023. Armstrong said she consulted with her Dead Sara bandmates, who encouraged her to seize the opportunity before accepting the role.
“I was panicking in the best way: ‘Is it real?’ For three days at least, I don’t ever remember touching the ground,” she told Billboard. “And then everything was different when I came back down — knowing my life was going to be different, in the best way. I came back to a dreamland.”
As Linkin Park prepares to release their new album, From Zero, in November 2024, they are also gearing up for a global tour with stops in major cities like Los Angeles, New York, London, and Seoul.
Here are five things to know about their new vocalist, who is set to play a pivotal role in the band’s new era.
Background
Armstrong — who has kept much of her personal background relatively private — grew up in Los Angeles, California, where she developed a passion for music at an early age and decided to leave high school to pursue a career in the industry.
Before joining Linkin Park, the 38-year-old was best known as the frontwoman and guitarist for the Los Angeles-based rock band Dead Sara. The band, which she co-founded with guitarist Siouxsie Medley in 2005, has released three studio albums, with their 2012 debut featuring the hit song “Weatherman.”
Musical Style and Influences
Armstrong is known for her deep appreciation of various musical influences, including rock, folk, and blues artists from the 1960s and 1970s, which have shaped her musical style. She has expressed admiration for artists like Fleetwood Mac, Led Zeppelin, Stevie Nicks, Joni Mitchell, and Nirvana, suggesting that her personal tastes are as eclectic and wide-ranging as her professional collaborations.
In an interview with Billboard, Armstrong recalled the impact that Linkin Park’s 2000 album Hybrid Theory had on her.
“I was in a band when it came out,” she remembered. “‘One Step Closer’ was the song for me, and I was just like, ‘That’s what I want to do. As a singer, I want to be able to scream.’”
“That album was everything — I’ve listened to it a trillion times. I would skate to it. I would mosh to it.”
Collaborations
Armstrong’s musical journey is marked by high-profile collaborations and notable songwriting credits.
She provided background vocals for Courtney Love‘s solo album Nobody’s Daughter and co-wrote songs for Demi Lovato‘s album Holy Fvck.
Controversial Associations
Armstrong’s appointment has not been without controversy. Some fans have raised concerns over her ties to the Church of Scientology and her public support for Danny Masterson, a former Scientologist actor recently convicted of rape.
Emily Armstrong in a Scientology celebration. Im already sad pic.twitter.com/iIolAjP8SM
— Dani ⋆⁺₊❅ (@marshmalloweeb) September 6, 2024
Her presence at Masterson’s trial in 2022 and photos of her attending Scientology events have sparked backlash among some fans, who worry that this could affect the band’s image.
New Role in Linkin Park
Armstrong opened up about singing Linkin Park hits that featured Bennington.
“It’s never a thought where it’s like I need to make this song my own,” she said. “It’s like, ‘How do I make this song have the same impact, as much as possible, with my voice?’”
Armstrong explained that she worked hard to “carry on the emotion” that the iconic bandmate brought to the band.
“You have to marry the technical part with the emotion. It’s Chester’s voice, and it’s mine, but I want it to still feel the way I feel when I listen to the song, because that’s what the fans love. There is a passion to it that I’m hoping I can fill,” Armstrong said.
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