LINKIN PARK‘s Mike Shinoda says that the band’s new singer Emily Armstrong has done “a great job” of stepping into late LP frontman Chester Bennington‘s shoes.
Last September, more than seven years after Bennington‘s death, LINKIN PARK debuted Armstrong and drummer Colin Brittain on a livestream. The pair joined returning members co-vocalist and main producer Shinoda, guitarist Brad Delson, bassist Dave “Phoenix” Farrell and DJ/visual director Joe Hahn in the band’s new lineup. Guitarist Alex Feder is filling in for Delson at all LINKIN PARK concerts for the foreseeable future.
On the topic of how the new LINKIN PARK came together, Shinoda told Baltimore’s 98 Rock radio station (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “I think I met Em in 2019. We did a writing session just to kind of… I was just curious about who she was and what she did, and I was so impressed. And at the time, our band wasn’t really ready to like do anything. Everybody was still just kind of… We’d do a session or we’d hang out and we wouldn’t talk for a while and we’d come back, we wouldn’t talk… And so we just weren’t ready, I think. And then sometime around 2022, we did one of those. And then we did another one, and then we did another one. It was, like, it started. Something happened. I don’t know what it was, but everybody was just ready to go.”
As for how LINKIN PARK‘s comeback album, “From Zero”, which came out last November, was conceived, Mike said: “The album came together as the band came together. I don’t think you’ve ever — unless it’s a debut album by somebody, you would never have a situation where a band gets made while an album gets made. So it’s almost like a new band, a new start, a first album. But luckily, we’re also a new band that has 25 years of catalog people wanna see on stage and in concert.”
Regarding the prospect of performing the new LINKIN PARK material as well as the classic songs live with the band’s new lineup, Shinoda said: “Emily has had the insane challenge of figuring out the way to sing these songs and how to present ’em with us. And she’s put in so much work. She’s done such a great job. I think the reason it all works is because the talent part is not — that’s the lowest bar to clear. The higher bars to clear, the more unusual or difficult or hard-to-find things are more, like, ‘Do we have similar goals? Do we get along on a day-to-day basis? Can we ride in a bus together in a van and on a flight and not kill each other?’ And it’s the furthest thing from that right now. We are just really enjoying it. Every show has been the best. She’s doing a great job. We actually also have a new drummer, Colin. And their energy — they’re a little younger than us, too, so they have that younger energy and it keeps our energy high. And the shows have been going great. I can’t wait for you guys to see it.”
LINKIN PARK kicked off its North American tour on April 26 at Moody Center in Austin, Texas.
The deluxe edition of “From Zero” is due out May 16 via Warner.
“From Zero (Deluxe Edition)” 2CD is a limited pressing. It features a four-panel softpak packaging with 16-page booklet and showcases three new songs, five live tracks recorded around the world and all new, expanded packaging.
LINKIN PARK launched the 2025 leg of its “From Zero” world tour on January 31 at Estadio GNP Seguros in Mexico City, Mexico.
In late January, LINKIN PARK released an a cappella/vocals-only version of “From Zero”, dubbed “From Zero – A Cappellas”.
The original version of “From Zero” marked LINKIN PARK‘s first full-length effort since 2017’s “One More Light”, which was the last LINKIN PARK album before Bennington‘s death.
Last September, Mike addressed the scrutiny Emily would encounter as the replacement for an iconic singer like Chester, telling the KROQ radio station: “We’ve all talked about it with each other and with her a million times, and we’re still talking about it. One difficult thing that people are experiencing is just that they’ve heard LINKIN PARK for so long with Chester‘s voice and the idea of somebody else being in that role, it feels really different. In the context of the [new LINKIN PARK] music, I know that I love it. I think her voice is incredible. And the best thing for people who have such a strong connection to Chester to know, just to know about me, is that Chester was a one-of-a-kind person and a one-of-a-kind voice, and Emily is also a one-of-a-kind person and a one-of-a-kind voice. She’s not trying to be him. She’s trying to be her. And it so happens that I think she singing on these songs sounds like LINKIN PARK.”
Photo credit: James Minchin III
Source: blabbermouth.net
