"Every week I’d do a few sessions with different singers": Linkin Park's Mike Shinoda opens up on finding a lead singer after Bennington's death

Linkin Park's co-founder, Mike Shinoda, is opening up about Chester Bennington's death and how hard it was to find a new lead singer after he passed away. Bennington died on July 20, 2017, by committing suicide. After his death, the band took a long break, with Shinoda releasing his own solo albums.

However, in 2024, Linkin Park made its way back to the music industry by introducing a new lead singer for the band and a new drummer. In a recent conversation with Spin, Shinoda reflected on his creative partnership with Chester, sharing:

“With Chester, I was used to working with someone who I could give any vocal idea to, and he would be able to handle just about anything."

He continued:

"Every week I’d do a few sessions with different singers, different writers, and I’d go to that place: ‘Oh, I have this idea. Can you sing this?’ They’d sing it, and I’d be like, ‘Ah, hmm, interesting’—not ‘Wow, insane.’"

Mentioning Emily, he added:

"Then I met Emily and I did that process with her and I was like, ‘Oh, we’re back to almost unlimited.’ She doesn’t sound like Chester; she sounds like Emily. But I won’t run out of things to try because she can just do it all."

Linkin Park introduced Emily Armstrong to their fans in 2024 during a live concert. The YouTube video has over 32 million views as of 22 July. While many fans criticized the band for replacing Chester, others were happy with the band's return.

However, before introducing Emily, Mike Shinoda revealed that he never wants to replace Chester, and he will always have his place in the band. In an interview with The Independent, he said:

"She’s not trying to be Chester, she’s not trying to be anybody else. She’s her and that’s why it works."

Emily Armstrong shares her experience after joining Linkin Park

Before working with Linkin Park, Armstrong was the singer and co-founder of the band Dead Sara. During the interview with Spin, the thirty-nine-year-old shared her own experience and how she felt after joining the band by saying,

"It’s like all of a sudden you’re with the professionals that have been doing it and have huge hits and it’s like, ‘Okay, wow, I have to become the best version of myself all the time.’ Just to be there in their presence, I was learning so much."

In May 2025, the band released their deluxe album of From Zero. Additionally, they also produced an anthem for League of Legends and performed at the UEFA Champions League Final, leading their way back to the top of the charts.

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Linkin Park is currently on tour. So far, they haven’t announced any plans for a new album, leaving fans curious about what’s coming next.

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