Emily Armstrong opens up about the fear of stepping into Linkin Park

The decision for Linkin Park to include Dead Sara lead vocalist Emily Armstrong into their lineup in 2023, following the passing of Chester Bennington, was a courageous and unconventional choice, as reported by theprp. This opportunity appeared overwhelmingly intimidating for Armstrong herself. Her anxieties and self-doubt regarding her ability to secure this role are examined in the group’s recent live film/documentary titled ‘UNSHATTER’. Recently, Armstrong reflected on this period during an interview with People magazine. Bennington was widely considered irreplaceable by the band’s fanbase, adding considerable pressure to the situation. Additionally, there was the burden of intense scrutiny and potential backlash faced by anyone attempting to assume his position. Understandably, Armstrong experienced significant initial hesitation in accepting the role. She discussed in the interview her tendency to second-guess herself and the approach she adopted, which ultimately helped her feel more at ease with the band.

You see it in the documentary where I’m just like, ‘Am I even cut out for this?’ You’re trying to give yourself every reason to just be like, ‘You’re not good. Everybody knows these songs.’

In the end (pun not intended), Armstrong decided to seek to match Bennington’s emotional depth rather than try to imitate him.

That’s the only thing that I could think of. Don’t try to be like anybody. You’re not a replacement. Nobody could ever, ever replace Chester. Do what you do. The only thing that I could possibly try with the old songs is just to have the same emotional impact as much as I possibly can with the songs, because that’s what you’re ultimately going to want at this point. That’s what I would want as a listener, as a Linkin Park fan. I would want that emotional feeling. And I was like, ‘Okay. I think I could do that.’