New Linkin Park singer Emily Armstrong recently opened up about battling imposter syndrome and doubting her abilities before stepping in to perform the band’s biggest hits, sharing her thoughts in an exclusive interview with People.
Armstrong explained her initial fears and the self-doubt she experienced when preparing to tackle the late Chester Bennington’s vocals.
“You see it in the documentary where I’m just like, ‘Am I even cut out for this?'” Armstrong said. “You’re trying to give yourself every reason to just be like, ‘You’re not good. Everybody knows these songs.'”
She then discussed her approach to performing the legendary tracks, emphasizing that she focused on being herself rather than trying to replace Bennington.
“That’s the only thing that I could think of,” she continued. “Don’t try to be like anybody. You’re not a replacement. Nobody could ever, ever replace Chester. Do what you do.”
Armstrong also shared how she aimed to capture the emotional essence of the music for the fans.
“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,” she added. “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.'”
She concluded by describing the pressure of stepping up to perform with a legendary band.
“You know this band to be legendary already, so you have to step up to the plate,” Armstrong said. “I know what I’m capable of doing. How do I now turn that on? I’m like, ‘Oh my God, I hope I don’t f*cking ruin this song.'”
Her remarks arrive nearly two years into a comeback that began with one of the most closely watched lineup changes in modern rock. Linkin Park announced Armstrong as its new co-vocalist on September 5, 2024, during a livestreamed performance in Los Angeles, where the band also introduced drummer Colin Brittain and revealed the album “From Zero.” The moment marked the group’s return after a hiatus that followed Bennington’s death in July 2017.
The announcement drew both excitement and criticism, as some fans questioned whether anyone could take on Bennington’s material while others targeted Armstrong over her past associations. Mike Shinoda later attributed part of the backlash to resistance toward a woman joining the band, saying critics objected because “she wasn’t a guy.”
“From Zero” was released on November 15, 2024, through Warner Records, and it became Linkin Park’s first studio album with Armstrong and Brittain. The record produced major rock hits, including “The Emptiness Machine” and “Heavy Is the Crown.” The accompanying From Zero World Tour launched in September 2024 and served as the band’s first extensive touring cycle with its new lineup.
The documentary Armstrong references is “Linkin Park: Unshatter.” The film tracks the band’s emotional return to recording and touring, weaving together early studio sessions, creative conversations and footage from the road. It also captures the uncertainty surrounding Armstrong’s audition and her adjustment to performing songs originally recorded with Bennington.
