Linkin Park: Rock giants set to release new album and introduce new singer - who is Emily Armstrong?

• Linkin Park have announced that they are to release a new album, “From Zero”: the first since Chester Bennington’s death in 2017.
• There much anticipated announcement also revealed that the band have brought in a new singer, in the form of “Dead Sara” vocalist Emily Armstrong.
• So who is Emily Armstrong, and what did Linkin Park fans think about her inclusion in the group going forwards?

Linkin Park promised a huge announcement after the countdown clock on their website reached zero, and they delivered while performing an intimate set to fans in attendance. 

The band have announced that they are set to record their first album since the death of Chester Bennington in 2017, with the album “From Zero,” a reflection of the group going back to their beginnings - when they were initially known as Xero.

The album news has set many tongues wagging about the prospect of a world tour to promote “From Zero” in 2025, but what really caught everyone’s attention last night was the announcement of a new lead singer in Linkin Park.

The group announced Dead Sara frontperson Emily Armstrong as the person who is set to occupy the role that Bennington made his own during his time with Linkin Park, and her first performance - including performing the first new single from the band, “The Emptiness Machine” - and a number of older Linkin Park classics.

Linkin Park have announced a new album release for November 2024 alongside introducing their new singer - Emily Armstrong - after their live stream overnight. | Linkin Park

But how well did she do during her first public performance? Very well, personally speaking. It was worth staying up after my bedtime to watch Armstrong perform and her vocal cadence is eerily on par with those high notes Bennington would hit during his songs.

Those sentiments have been echoed on r/LinkinPark, with the majority of Redditors praising the inclusion of Armstrong to the band. “I thought she did a good job. I liked that a couple of the songs were transposed to highlight her vocal qualities, but a good number of them were not. Looking forward to hearing the rest of the album in November.”

Another Redditor also commented “I was pleasantly surprised! I feel like I went through all the stages of grief, but I enjoyed the show!”

So what’s the background of Linkin Park’s new vocalist? Well, here’s what we know about Emily Armstrong so far.

Who is Emily Armstrong?

Emily Armstrong and Linkin Park perform during a global livestream at Warner Bros. Studios on September 05, 2024 in Burbank, California. | Getty Images for Warner Music

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Emily Armstrong began writing songs and playing the guitar at 11, and by 15 started to hone in on her singing ability.. Realising early on that she wanted to be a musician, she dropped out of high school, committing to her musical aspirations.

Armstrong began collaborating with guitarist Siouxsie Medley in 2002, whom she met through a mutual friend. The duo shared a love for similar music, drawing inspiration from bands like Nirvana and L7, as well as 1960s and 1970s folk, blues artists, and classic rock bands such as Led Zeppelin, Stevie Nicks, Joni Mitchell, and Fleetwood Mac.

Initially known as Epiphany, Dead Sara played their first gig at The Mint, a Los Angeles nightclub, in March 2005, where Armstrong not only sang but also played bass. The band embarked on their first tour in 2007 and, in 2010, founded their own indie label, Pocket Kid Records and in 2012 released their full-length debut album, “Dead Sara,” which included the indie rock hit single "Weatherman." Following the album’s success, the band toured extensively in the US and Europe, supporting acts like Muse and featuring on the Warped Tour.

Dead Sara continued to build their discography with the release of their second album, “Pleasure to Meet You,” and a 4-song EP, “Covers,” which included renditions of Nirvana's "Heart-Shaped Box," Rage Against the Machine's "Killing in the Name," and Patti Smith's "Ask the Angels." In 2018, the band released the EP Temporary Things Taking Up Space on Atlantic Records. Their third album “Ain't It Tragic” was recorded during the COVID-19 lockdown and released on Warner Records in 2021.

Armstrong has garnered significant attention as a vocalist even before Dead Sara's debut. Grace Slick, in a 2011 interview with the Wall Street Journal, praised Armstrong's "strong, urgent sound," while Courtney Love invited Armstrong to New York to sing on Hole's 2010 album, “Nobody's Daughter.” 

When is Linkin Park’s new album released?

“From Zero” is scheduled for release on November 15 2024.

What did you think of Emily Armstrong’s debut with Linkin Park during their live stream overnight? Are you excited about the new Linkin Park album and the addition of a new singer? Let us know your thoughts by leaving a comment down below.