Following years on hiatus, Linkin Park announced its return with new singer Emily Armstrong, but the news has come with controversy.
The American rock band, known for such hits as "In the End" and "Numb," ceased operation in 2017 following the tragic death of lead singer Chester Bennington.
Since then, work on reuniting the group has been a bit of a non-starter. That has not stopped various members from releasing music on their own, though. Since Bennington's passing, singer/rapper Mike Shinoda has been prolific in his output but has not put anything out under the Linkin Park name.
Linkin Park & Emily Armstrong Controversy
The headlines of Linkin Park's bringing in new singer Emily Armstrong were met with controversy among some fans.
Following seven years of inactivity, the Grammy-winning musical group emerged from their creative hibernation, announcing a new album, tour, and lead singer in Dead Sara's Emily Armstrong.
Armstrong replaces former frontman Chester Bennington, a member of the band since its 2000 debut album, Hybrid Theory, who tragically took his own life in July 2017.
On taking over for Bennington, Armstrong told Billboard going into these songs, she keeps asking herself, "How do I be myself in this, but also carry on the emotion and what he brought:"
"And going into these [older] songs, by a singular voice that’s beloved by so many people — it’s like, 'How do I be myself in this, but also carry on the emotion and what he brought in this band?' That was the work that I had to do. The feeling, the energy, was already there as we were doing the album, so it’s just incorporating that feeling."
She said this will ultimately result in "marry[ing] the technical part and the emotion" to create a new experience for the fans that is still authentic to Bennington and his original intent:
"[I had] to identify what the song meant to me as a singer, not just as someone listening to it. You got to marry the technical part and 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."
While large swaths of the Linkin Park fanbase have embraced this new era of the band, others are concerned about the group continuing with the same name despite Bennington's absence.
Most are not upset that Armstrong and the former Linkin Park members are making music together; some would have rather they started a new band than revive the Linkin Park name (via Instagram).
Some have also questioned Armstrong's involvement in the group, as the vocalist has had a string of controversies over the years. One of the major talking points fans seem to have is Armstrong's alleged ties to the Church of Scientology and her support of actor Danny Masterson.
Armstrong has been seen at several Chruch of Scientology events over the last decade and was even listed as a notable member who attended the Church's 2013 44th Anniversary Gala (per Scientology Newsroom).
Masterson, whom Armstrong is said to have been a vocal supporter of, has been accused of rape in the past, crimes which the Church of Scientology covered up for several years.
Cedric Bixler, whose wife was one of Masterson's victims, allegedly commented on Dead Sara (Armstrong's former band)'s Instagram posts accusing the singer of appearing at Masterson's trial in support of the actor (via X). However, the comment and Instagram story have since been deleted.
Linkin Park will tour starting Wednesday, September 11. Their new album, From Zero, is due out November 15.
