Linkin Park‘s co-founder, Mike Shinoda, and new lead singer, Emily Armstrong, recently sat down for an interview with The Guardian. The discussion covered the band’s early days, thier current era, and the controversies surrounding their relaunch. Armstrong officially joined Linkin Park in the fall of 2024, coinciding with the release of their new album, which has already been reviewed.
Following the tragic suicide of former frontman Chester Bennington in 2017, Linkin Park took an extended hiatus, refraining from concerts, tours, and new music. Armstrong’s arrival, at the age of 39, was met with a decidedly mixed reception. Not only did many fans express their disapproval, but Bennington’s family also voiced their opposition. Bennington’s mother, in particular, felt betrayed by Shinoda, believing he had not consulted the band about their potential reformation.Chester Bennington’s son, Jaime, took his criticism a step further, deeming Armstrong’s inclusion a “disgrace to his father’s memory.” This sentiment was amplified by revelations linking Armstrong to the Church of Scientology and its association with convicted rapist Danny Masterson. In september of last year, Armstrong issued a statement addressing these connections, admitting she had previously defended Masterson but had misjudged the situation. She clarified, “To put it as clearly as possible: I do not condone abuse or violence against women and compare me to the victims of such crimes.”
During the recent Guardian interview,Armstrong acknowledged the fan backlash,stating she was unprepared for the intensity of the reactions. “To be honest,I was a little naive about it,” she told the newspaper,noting that she had previously avoided social media for her mental well-being. She added, “If something very, very urgent happened, then our PRs talked to us about it. But I’m old enough to know the difference between real life and the internet.”
Shinoda,however,offered a different viewpoint on the fan outrage,suggesting that some of the criticism directed at Armstrong stemmed from her gender. “Ther were some who got out of Emily, but it was actually as he wasn’t a man,” he explained. Shinoda elaborated that fans were accustomed to Linkin Park’s lineup of six men,with a male frontman,and that this unfamiliarity led to discomfort and a search for reasons to complain.
armstrong also shared her feelings about taking on the role of Linkin Park’s lead singer, emphasizing that while she never turned down the opportunity, she was apprehensive about the responsibility. She expressed a desire not to “ruin” the band’s significant legacy. Armstrong, who began her music career in the 2002 band Dead Sara, remarked, “I’ve been in the band for twenty years, and I coudl only dream of such a success.”