US EditionLinkin Park After Chester
UNITED STATES, JUL 20 – Mike Shinoda attributes fan backlash against new lead singer Emily Armstrong mainly to her gender, noting fans were uncomfortable with a female vocalist replacing Chester Bennington.
- On Friday, July 18, in a Guardian interview, Mike Shinoda said the backlash targeted Emily Armstrong because she wasn’t a guy.
- Her ties to Scientology and support for Danny Masterson, convicted in May 2023, intensified scrutiny after her introduction last year.
- Even Chester Bennington’s family criticized the lineup change, with Susan Eubanks saying she felt “betrayed” while Jaime Bennington noted Armstrong’s Scientology links.
- To ease tensions, the band dropped “One More Light” from setlists, with Shinoda saying they aim for `really good vibes`.
- Starting July 29, the US leg of the From Zero World Tour begins, with shows in Philadelphia on Aug. 16 and Pittsburgh on Aug. 19.
16 Articles
16 Articles
Linkin Park’s Mike Shinoda Says New Singer Emily Armstrong Got Hate Because ‘She Wasn’t a Guy’ | Just Jared: Celebrity News and Gossip
Mike Shinoda is sharing his thoughts on the way fans reacted to Linkin Park‘s new singer. Emily Armstrong, 39, joined Linkin Park in 2024, 7 years after the death of original vocalist Chester Bennington. Following her joining the band, Emily and the other members of Linkin Park were met with backlash over Emily‘s link to Scientology. In a new interview, Mike is opening up about the backlash she received and why he believes fans “lashed out” at h…
Linkin Park’s New Vocalist Emily Armstrong Says She Was a ‘Little Bit Naive’ About Backlash to Her Joining the Band
In 2024, Linkin Park emerged from a seven-year hiatus, following the death of their longtime vocalist Chester Bennington, with a new direction and a new co-frontwoman, Emily Armstrong. The joy was short-lived, however, as there was soon backlash around Armstrong’s inclusion, which she now says she was “a little bit naive about.” Armstrong joined Linkin Park from The Dead Sara, an L.A.-based rock band she helped to form in the early 2000s. It was…
Emily Armstrong's arrival last fall was criticized by many fans because the singer had several ties to the Church of Scientology and supported a convicted rapist.
Beloved rock band’s founding member says fans lashing out at new singer because ‘she wasn’t a guy’
One of the band's founding members says critics are "pointing in 10 different directions" with complaints, but the real issue lies with the gender of the band's newest member.
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