Linkin Park: Mike Shinoda defends singer from Chester Bennington comparisons

One of the founders of Linkin Park, Mike Shinodasaid the new vocalist Emily Armstrong “is not trying to be Chester Bennington“.

Emily took over the band’s microphone in place of Chesterwho died in 2017. After a seven-year hiatus, the Linkin Park announced in early September that it is back.

In addition to the new member – and the addition of Colin Brittainwho takes over the drums –, the return includes a tour that stops in Brazil and the release of a new album.

The news pleased many fans, who saw the band enter a sea of ​​uncertainty after the death of Chester. However, the formation with a new vocalist also generated many negative reactions, including from the singer’s family.

In a text published in Rolling Stone USA, Susan Eubanks – mother of Chester – said she felt “betrayed” and that she was not informed about the band’s return with new members.

Now the son of Chester, Jaime Benningtonsaid that the Linkin Park “silently erased the life and legacy” of his father.

Emily is not Chester

Mike Shinoda came out in defense of his new colleague and the band’s reunion. In an interview with the program New Music Show (via BBC)he clarified that the return is not intended to repeat or rewrite the group’s trajectory.

We intend for this to be a new chapter in Linkin Park. The old chapter was great and we loved it. Everything went its course and now we are faced with the challenge: ‘if you start from scratch with another voice, what do you do’”?

The reunion was announced through a show in which they played new songs as well as their greatest hits, with Emily singing the parts of Chester.

Mike said he met the vocalist through her work with Dead Sara and that they started composing together in 2019, but without the intention of forming the band again.

We slowly bonded and then things started to come together. We talked about putting her voice on things we had already written that only had my voice on them. When we did that, we thought, ‘That sounds really good, we should try that on even more songs,'” he explained.

In the interview, Mike Shinoda did not address the criticism from the family of Chester or the alleged relationship of Emily Armstrong with the Scientology and with the actor Danny Mastersonconvicted of rape.

He focused on the musical aspect, highlighting his colleague’s skills. “When she sings, it’s like passion and she’s 100 percent herself, that’s the best part,” he said.

Emily not trying to be Chestershe’s not trying to be someone else. She is herself and that’s why it works.”

Despite the criticism, the band regained success with the new single, “The Emptiness Machine”.

The track occupies Linkin Park’s first place on the Deezer platform.