Year Ender 2024 | Emily Armstrong: The voice powering Linkin Park’s next chapter

“It’s good to see you again,” said Mike Shinoda at Warner Bros. Studios in California in early September, setting the stage for Linkin Park’s first show in seven years. The band members took their positions on a dimly lit stage and started playing the new single ‘Emptiness Machine’ — their first since 2017’s One More Light.  The song was gripping, with Shinoda leading the vocal duties, just like in old times. The excitement was building up, one verse at a time. 70 seconds into the song entered the surprise element — Emily Armstrong — who took over the vocals from the second verse, with Shinoda now switching to backup. “Going around like a revolver, it’s been decided how we lose,” sang Armstrong — followed by power-packed screaming chorus “Let you cut me open, just to watch me bleed… Gave up who I am for who wanted me to be”. That guttural, waspy-grungy scream was not just a chorus. That was the rallying cry that marked the beginning of Linkin Park’s new chapter and the arrival of Armstrong —a rockstar we didn’t know we needed, but we’re glad to have. And that was just the beginning of what was the best part of rock this year, apart from the spate of reunions we saw.

Armstrong, whom fans call ‘Janis Joplin of Arena Rock,’ has arguably been the most talked-about musician in rock music circuits this year. Her entry into the band has surprised fans and listeners, dividing the fandom like borders splitting two nations. The Linkin Park fandom was divided into two parts — the purists who have refused to accept the band in its current shape and form and those who have accepted the change and are rallying behind the new lineup, especially Armstrong.  The comments section of almost every Linkin Park song on social media became a battleground for old-school Chester Bennington fans attacking the ones supporting Armstrong. Bennington led the charge for close to two decades. He was a once-in-generation type of a singer, whose music, artistry and execution cannot be replaced nor recreated. Shinoda and Co are well aware of that. Nobody wants to dilute or delete his legacy. They are here to create a new one while keeping the old one close to their heart. If only some fans understood it.

If you look closely at Linkin Park’s actions over the past few months, you’ll see a well-crafted strategy of introducing the new voice, giving ample time for the world to listen, absorb and perhaps enjoy what they have to offer. Their reunion show playlist which introduced Armstrong with The Emptiness Machine, featured some of their biggest hits ranging from Somewhere I Belong to Numb to One Step Closer, with the new voice giving it a fresh spin. Armstrong gave her unique spin to Linkin Park classics, which she grew up listening to and ones which made her want to become a rock vocalist. Although vocals on some songs fell flat as compared to the original, she did shine in some, especially in One Step Closer. A small clip of Armstrong screaming ‘Shut up when I’m talking to you!’ had gone viral on social media, with fans from warring factions agreeing for once that she was good. The band’s second release ‘Heavy is the Crown’ was also an impressive one — an anthemic number with a 12-second scream by Armstrong. That scream was reminiscent of Bennington, whose vocal prowess set the band apart from others back in the early 2000s. Over three months down, and it remains one of the best things I have heard this year.

Also Read: From Zero Review: Ode to Linkin Park’s glorious past with vision set for a rock solid future

Armstrong’s arrival and rise were slow, steady, well-crafted and executed, getting louder and more intense with every step. Every single released by Linkin Park, in the run-up to the full release in November, along with the live performances proves it. The criticism and scepticism from the audience didn’t deter the band or Armstrong. They knew what they were doing and they were killing it, both on and off stage. Armstrong’s confidence as the co-lead singer grew with every show, with every cheer from the audience and with every bit of adulation she received. It solidified and became a strong force, as they hopped from one stage to the next, with singles being released along the way.

Linkin Park’s live shows over the last few months are a loud, roaring celebration of rock, also marking the arrival of the rockstar we didn’t know we wanted, but are very glad that we have. Social media is flooded with videos of Armstrong performing, dancing, and even goofing around on stage. She knows she has arrived. She knows she has a big job to do, which she has done well and the audience has accepted her, if not entirely. In a world filled with autotune and now AI, we have gotten a true blue rockstar, with a voice that speaks straight to the hearts of people who grew up with rock and metal and makes a connection. That’s what music is all about- Connecting people (Sorry Nokia).