Linkin Park recently made their comeback to the music scene after a long hiatus following the tragic passing of Chester Bennington. This resurgence was marked by their heartfelt reunion, with new vocalist Emily Armstrong joining the group.
In a recent podcast, From Zero: A Conversation with Mike Shinoda and Emily Armstrong which seemed to be recorded before their surprise show on September 5th, the band members expressed their mutual respect and gratitude for being able to create music together again.
Mike Shinoda reflected on what it means to have Linkin Park back and he said something along the lines of - imagine having the thing you love the most in the world taken away from you suddenly, and then there comes a time when you actually get the chance to have that again.
Emily Armstrong shared her initial hesitations about joining the group, expressing concern about how it might change everything for her. However, the welcoming nature of the band made her feel safe and empowered.
Armstrong expressed how "the guys were like a safety net," allowing her to be herself and embrace her role as Linkin Park's new vocalist. Emily mentioned "rehearsing yesterday", a day before the podcast, then going home and just crying in the car because she was overwhelmed with happiness to be in that band and to perform, she remembered in the car she was like "oh it's summer i didn't even realize", because they had been rehearsing so much, writing so much, being in the studio so much, then was like "I actually don't even care that it's summer, it could be any season and it would be Linkin Park season for me."
Mike talked about how the friends he met for dinner were all like "you look great man, what's up? And he had to tell them lol and Emily talked about how hard it was to keep this secret, and people around her were like ALRIGHT WHO IS SHE? As if she was thrilled because she had a new girlfriend.
Mike also spoke about the instant connection he had with Colin Brittain, the band's new drummer, recalling how excited he was after their first meeting.
The band's new album, From Zero set to feature ten songs. They made the deliberate choice to keep the album short, focusing on delivering the best and most honest material possible.
One track in particular, "Casualty," had a profound impact on Mike when he first heard Emily sing the line "let me out" in the chorus. The vulnerability and emotion in her voice stunned him, highlighting the synergy the band has found with their new vocalist.
As the podcast progressed, it was clear that the band members were feeling emotional, with Emily nearly in tears by the end. They talked about the hard work they've put in and how much they deserved to have this moment together.