Legendary rock band Linkin Park is back with new music for the first time since the death of beloved frontman Chester Bennington in 2017. But the band is facing some intense blowback over their choice of Emily Armstrong as their new vocalist.
Who Is Emily Armstrong
Armstrong is well-known in the Los Angeles rock scene and is best known for her band Dead Sara, which she started with a close childhood friend back in 2002. Dead Sara was inspired by acts like L7 and Hole. Hole’s Courtney Love was so impressed with Armstrong that Love asked her to sing on Hole’s 2010 album.
With a long history of performing rock and metal, Armstrong has the chops to join the remaining members of Linkin Park, but she brings some controversy, too.
Some fans are upset that the band decided to continue as Linkin Park, saying it’s disrespectful to Chester’s memory. Others are upset that the band chose a singer with ties to the Church of Scientology, who at one time supported convicted rapist and Scientologist Danny Masterson.
Emily Armstrong’s Connections to Scientology
Armstrong was born into Scientology as the child of two prominent and active members. It’s said that her mother is Gail Armstrong, senior consulting editor for the Scientology magazine “Freedom.”
She has not said if she’s still an active member of the Church of Scientology or if she still believes in the church’s doctrine. She was photographed at a Scientology event in 2013.
Emily Armstrong’s Support for Danny Masterson
Linkin Park fans are also angry at her support for Masterson. In 2020, she attended a preliminary hearing in support of Masterson. He was later convicted of forcible rape and sentenced to 30 years in prison.
Fans of Linkin Park were vocal about their anger at Armstrong’s support of Masterson on social media. The spotlight on her support of Masterson forced her to comment directly on the issue. In an Instagram story, she clarified what happened, saying:
“Hi, I’m Emily. I’m new to so many of you, and I wanted to clear the air about something that happened a while back. Several years ago, I was asked to support someone I considered a friend at a court appearance, and went to one early hearing as an observer. Soon after, I realized I shouldn’t have. I always try to see the good in people, and I misjudged him. I have never spoken with him since. Unimaginable details emerged and he was later found guilty. To say it as clearly as possible: I do not condone abuse or violence against women, and I empathize with the victims of these crimes.”
Will that be enough to convince fans that she’s broken ties to Scientology? Time will tell.
Jamie Bennington Speaks Out Against Emily Armstrong Joining Linkin Park
Bennington’s son Jamie is very upset that the band has replaced his dad with Armstrong. He has loudly criticized the decision because of Emily’s connections to Scientology because he feels it’s disrespectful to his father’s legacy.
Some fans were happy about the addition of Armstrong to the lineup. This Instagram post of her performing as part of Linkin Park is one of the band’s most-liked photos ever. But, there are many fans who agree with Bennington that choosing Armstrong was a mistake because of her connections with Scientology.
