The new era of Linkin Park divided fans, Mike Shinoda is indisputable

After his death Linkin Park’s The lead singer, Chester Bennington in 2017, the band is finally ready to return. In conversation with The guardiansinger-singer Mike Shinoda and singer Emily Armstrong discussed the band’s rebirth and the reaction they faced.

25 years since its formation, Linkin Park has become one of the largest rock bands in this millennium. Their debut Hybrid theory It was one of the best albums of 2001 and since then, the band has gathered a huge global fanbase. While they gave us bangers like Numb and At the end; Linkin Park He has struggled with the decision of their music career after Bennington’s death.

After many experiments, the initially six people decided to add two more people to the mixture. Armstrong joined as a singer and Colin Britain as a drummer. This addition to the band was made during navigation to the fan’s reaction to Bennington’s death and understanding the musical trail that the team wants to take in the future. Shinoda, who founded Linkin Park at the age of 19, described what prompted him to take Armstrong for lead vocals and why upset fans.

“There were people who dug on to Emily and were really because he wasn’t a man.” Shinoda tells: “(fans) are used to Linkin Park Being six children and the voice of a man leading this song. It was just so uncomfortable with what they were choosing a ton of things to protest. ”

Despite the fans’ reaction, Shinoda was absolutely sure of Armstrong’s enthusiasm to bring their inheritance forward. “There are many people for whom they are all about the number of fans. It’s a very greedy way to live. And these guys aren’t so,” he said. The singer thinks Armstrong, “who had a bad sister energy around Shinoda – looked like a natural application.” When she met her in the studio in 2023, “something clicked”.

Career of a return

Armstrong was selected based on the tests in the band’s studio. “I didn’t tell them that this was part of a potential Linkin Park Return, “Shinoda revealed,” Things could become clumsy indefinitely. Two hours in the session, it would be like, “Hi, can I ask you a question? What happens here? Who are we writing about?” And we would be like: “Yes, we don’t know.”

She finally came to Armstong and was impressed by her dignity and enthusiasm for the kind of music we asked her to play. He was just “excited to write with Mike Shinoda”.

Armstrong was the frontwoman for Dead SarahA La Punk t -shirts that never really did big. When she heard Shinoda’s offer for the first time, it was incredible, “I have (previously) in a band for 20 years and I could only dream of this kind of success,” said the new lead. Beenington’s replacement, Armstrong was slightly under pressure, reminded: “I was scared with the prospect of getting into such big shoes” because I think I can do that? I wondered, I told Shinoda that I didn’t want to “destroy” Linkin Park. I was like “you are a legacy – you are so important.”

New horizons

Despite her hesitation, Shinoda is willing to take her music forward. In honor of Bennington, released Post -traumatic On June 15, 2018, which was an emotional solo album that describes in detail his journey for the processing of grief. He described the tours as: “I felt like I was well treated and I was able to get up in the morning and not thinking about it and evolved from the terrible things that had happened.”

However, it soon became exhaustive: “I would go to the show and spend 90 minutes with half the crowd crying and I’m like, that’s exhaustive, you know how therapists see patients all day and help them, but then they need treatment?

Having worked out the band’s death, Shinoda decided to hire musicians, work for new music and proceed. Their eighth studio album, From zerocame out on November 15 through Warner Records. The new album is similar to the band’s original music, with a rap fusion, easy to catch melodies, a strong guitar that hosts and angry lyrics.

Now that the rock band is full again, Linkin Park They are all ready to tour the US since July 29th. While fans are still looking for Bennington traces in their work, the advertising campaign for new music has not died. “This tour and this album is one of the most successful of all time.” She admires Shinoda, “this, for me, is absurd. This is well beyond my hopes and dreams of what this whole thing could be.”

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