Linkin Park made their grand return on September 6 by revealing their comeback in an exclusive livestream.
The band introduced their newest member, singer Armstrong from Dead Sara, and new drummer Colin Brittain. Their vibrant setlist included the debut of a new song titled “The Emptiness Machine,” a mix of Linkin Park favorites, and an exciting reveal of their upcoming album “From Zero.”
Less than 24 hours after her debut, the public was shocked when Armstrong’s relationship with Scientology was discovered when she was appointed as the new lead singer of Linkin Park.
Questions surrounding her past ties to the controversial church and her support for the convicted have sparked criticism and skepticism among her followers.
With the return of Linkin Park, attention has increased on Armstrong’s history and its potential influence on the band’s development.
Fans have reacted strongly to the recent news of Linkin Park’s decision to bring in a new singer to replace Chester Bennington.
On the Discord server, Mike Shinoda responded to the criticism, saying, “It’s going to take a lot of people time to understand us with her. If people don’t respect her yet, I’m totally fine with that. But if you don’t respect me, you’re going to lose my respect.”
“I get this. We need to hold space for people who are in shock/processing. This is HARD.”
“Seeing Em and I together, shoulder to shoulder, evoked a lot of emotions for everyone in the crew and management. Both happy and sad! It was complicated!”
Meanwhile, following Shinoda’s comments, Jaime, the son of the late singer Chester Bennington, expressed his disagreement with Emily Armstrong and the band’s recent decisions.
According to a Reddit thread on FauxMoi, Jaime emphasized on his Instagram Story that fans had a hard time understanding the idea of Linkin Park’s change because the real difficulty lay in understanding the decision to include Armstrong, who was known to be a member of a cult and an ally of Danny Masterson, in the group.
READ MORE: Emily Armstrong apology sparks outrage: Critics call it ‘Surface level’, point to key issues left unresolved
Jaime also said that the band “quietly erased my father’s life and legacy at that moment, not only in a band interview intended to shed light on certain aspects of LINKIN PARK’s history and future, but also during INTERNATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION MONTH.”
He mentioned Linkin Park’s neglect to address the consequences of bringing Armstrong into the group, saying there was a clear lack of recognition of the diversity of individuals who make up “THEIR CORE FAN BASE”.
“Not Admitting: How You Engage Your Fans, [Chester]Chester’s children or family, my falling out with his wife ANNA SHINODA (who also cannot be mentioned), Danny Masterson’s victims, or even Emily’s threats against those victims. And the list goes on. And on. And on.”
He openly told Shinoda, “What you did is not something people can adapt to. It is not a SHOCK that it takes people time to process and understand.”
“You have betrayed the trust that your fans and supporters, including myself, have placed in you over the decades.”
“We trusted you to become a better, greater person. To change. Because you promised us that was your intention. Now you are just confused and weak.”
In the same lengthy Instagram Story post, Jaime made a shocking revelation when he said he heard Shinoda accidentally reveal to Zane Lowe that their album had been in the works since 2019 and “possibly 2017.”
Tragically, in July 2017, Bennington was found dead in Palos Verdes Estates, California. The tragic event was ruled a suicide by hanging, leaving unanswered questions as no suicide note was discovered.
Jaime added, “I don’t like Mike’s comment about DISRESPECT. And I’ll say the same. My opinion on this is… I’ve never seen a band allow ‘Respect’ protests.”
“I’ve never seen a band allow a third-party perspective into the conversation. This model shows that historically, those who express views that differ from the mainstream have been marginalized and excluded…”
At the end of his speech, Jaime simply stated in capital letters: “I DO NOT SUPPORT.”
READ MORE: Emily Armstrong’s controversial past leaves Linkin Park questioning choice of new singer
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