Linkin Park reveals reasons behind Emily Armstrong joining despite fan backlash over 'connection'
By Daniel Bird & John O'sullivan,
2024-09-06
Linkin Park has given some insights into Emily Armstrong joining their ranks. The legendary rockers excitedly revealed on Thursday that Dead Sara's Emily is on board as co-vocalist and Colin Brittain, who's penned and produced hits for acts such as G Flip, has joined as their new drummer.
Nevertheless, they began to quietly catch up in more recent times. Despite not necessarily wanting to "restart the band," they confessed that their gut told them to simply spend more time together and rediscover the connection they had with their work and their bond as friends, going all the way back to their college days. Over time, this led to bringing friends into the studio with them, reports the Mirror .
After spending time with both Emily and Colin, they noticed an exceptional friendship and a natural chemistry as they all fused together with their "uncontainable energy" to craft a masterpiece. Talking about having Emily and Colin on board, Mike stated: "The more we worked with Emily and Colin, the more we enjoyed their world-class talents, their company, and the things we created. We feel really empowered with this new lineup and the vibrant and energized new music we've made together. We're weaving together the sonic touchpoints we've been known for and still exploring new ones."
The group, however, has faced backlash from dedicated fans after it was revealed that Emily has connections to the Church of Scientology and also to convicted rapist, Danny Masterson. The Los Angeles-born musician, who once left high school early to pursue her dream career, was spotted at the Church of Scientology's 44th Anniversary Gala in 2013.
Emily was among the array of stars who turned up for the event on August 24, 2013, in Los Angeles . Emily was photographed next to fellow artist Cedric Bixler-Zavala from the band Mars Volta. But whether Emily remains associated with the contentious church, often described as a "cult", remains unclear.
She is rumored to have been present during Masterson's trial and his eventual conviction for rape in 2022. Masterson received a sentence of 30 years in prison for two incidents that occurred in 2001 and 2003.
Right now, no one's sure if Emily is still in touch with Masterson. Nonetheless, fans are fuming over the situation. One passionately stated their belief that the departed Chester would disapprove: "Sick of seeing people excited about this new Linkin Park singer. Emily Armstrong is a known Scientologist and Danny Masterson supporter. Chester wouldn't have wanted this, I know that," they expressed angrily.
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I think she has a decent voice & am going to give it a fair chance, but the fans of LP were drawn in for how the songs had raw emotion behind them. This is something she is lacking from what I can see. I hope she finds the passion and learns the deeper meaning of the lyrics that she’s singing..that’s the only way to honor Chester ❤️🩹
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