EMILY ARMSTRONG on first studio sessions with LINKIN PARK: “'everything was aligning in a way where it was so surreal to me”
21-03-2025
In a special episode of “Women Who Make Q101”, Lauren O’Neil of the Chicago radio station Q101 sat down with LINKIN PARK singer Emily Armstrong for an exclusive conversation about Emily‘s journey, creative process, and the experiences that have shaped her career. Tune in as Emily shares insights, inspiration, and what it’s like to be one of the influential women making waves at Q101.
Speaking about how she developed her musical connection with her new LINKIN PARK bandmates, Emily said: “It’s interesting because I think we’ve talked about it a lot where it’s just kind of, we didn’t run in the same circles. It was so far and few between. But when we started writing again for the second time in the studio, things started to really click in a way where we found so many similarities that didn’t quite click before. I don’t know if this makes any sense, but there was so many things of being, like, ‘Wait, you worked with this guy? We did that with our first album.’ Literally so many things started to like come together where it’s just the synergy that is a kismet. Everything was just aligning in a way where it was so surreal to me, because I’m, like, how have I never met any of these people before, and then all of a sudden at this point where everything starts to really make sense and where we are in our lives as them as people in their band and me as an artist and in my band, how it really came together at a time where we both were looking for this. We found so many similarities that it just started bringing us closer and closer together. It was, like, ‘Okay, this is it.'”
Last October LINKIN PARK shared their first new music in seven years. The band shared some treats for fans: a new single and video for “The Emptiness Machine”, plus a global livestream performance, and the launch of six upcoming arena shows in Los Angeles, New York, Hamburg, London, Seoul, and Bogota as part of the “From Zero World Tour”. LP Underground fan club exclusive pre-sales start September 6 and general on-sales September 7. Go to LinkinPark.com for more info.
Watch “The Emptiness Machine” below.
Find the link to the livestream below.
These surprises herald the arrival of LINKIN PARK‘s first album since 2017, “From Zero”, on November 15.
Without expectations, Shinoda, Delson, Farrell and Hahn quietly began meeting up again in recent years. Rather than “trying to restart the band,” their instinct was to simply spend more time together, and reconnect with the creativity and camaraderie that has been at the core of their friendship since college. During this time, they invited various friends and cohorts to join them in the studio; among the guests, they found a special kinship with Armstong and Brittain. A natural chemistry drew these musicians back into its gravitational pull as they logged more and more hours in the studio. It was the sound of lifelong musicians rediscovering the uncontainable energy of a new beginning once again. Over this season, “From Zero” was born.
About the new era, Shinoda stated: “Before LINKIN PARK, our first band name was XERO. This album title refers to both this humble beginning and the journey we’re currently undertaking. Sonically and emotionally, it is about past, present, and future — embracing our signature sound, but new and full of life. It was made with a deep appreciation for our new and longtime bandmates, our friends, our family, and our fans. We are proud of what LINKIN PARK has become over the years, and excited about the journey ahead.”
Right out of the gate, “The Emptiness Machine” channels the DNA of LINKIN PARK, harnessing the band’s explosive energy and retaining the hallmarks of their instantly identifiable and inimitable sound. A chameleonic and catchy anthem, Shinoda‘s hypnotic melodies hand off to Armstrong‘s blistering chorus, over distorted riffs and head-nodding drums.
Shinoda elaborated: “The more we worked with Emily and Colin, the more we enjoyed their world-class talents, their company, and the things we created. We feel really empowered with this new lineup and the vibrant and energized new music we’ve made together. We’re weaving together the sonic touchpoints we’ve been known for and still exploring new ones.”
Ultimately, with “From Zero”, the band is looking to harness the purest energy of their past, present, and future. The new era has officially begun.
“From Zero World Tour” 2024
September 11 – Kia Forum – Los Angeles, CA
September 16 – Barclays Center – New York, NY
September 22 – Barclays Arena – Hamburg, Germany
September 24 – The O2 – London, UK
September 28 – INSPIRE Arena – Seoul, South Korea
November 11 – Coliseo Medplus – Bogota, Colombia
“From Zero” track listing
01. From Zero(Intro)
02. The Emptiness Machine
03. Cut The Bridge
04. Heavy Is The Crown
05. Over Each Other
06. Casualty
07. Overflow
08. Two Faced
09. Stained
10. IGYEIH
11. Good Things Go
LINKIN PARK has been on hiatus since the death of Bennington in 2017.
Last year in April, Shinoda said that there are no plans for new music, albums or live shows from the band.
The 46-year-old musician, who was appointed Community Innovation Advisor of Warner Recorded Music (WRM), addressed LINKIN PARK‘s future during a Twitch livestream.
“The only LINKIN PARK news I have for you is that… Yeah, we talk every few weeks — I talk to the guys, or some of the guys,” he said. “And there’s no tours, there’s no music, there’s no albums in the pipeline. Okay, so let me just tell you that. So just keep in your minds that that is not happening.
“I’m just gonna say that much for now,” he continued. “I say that because anytime the band says anything or does anything, everyone tries to start up the hype train, and we’re, like, ‘No, no, no, no. Don’t start up the hype train.’ You’re gonna disappoint yourself. Don’t do that.”
LINKIN PARK has not performed together in public since October 2017, when the surviving members staged a tribute concert in Los Angeles to singer Chester Bennington. The band has not officially announced whether it intends to carry on following the death of Bennington, who committed suicide in July 2017 at the age of 41.
Four years ago, Shinoda shot down reports that LINKIN PARK was actively searching for a replacement for Bennington. In February 2019, Shinoda took to his Twitter account to write: “Lemme clarify a rumor: we are not looking for a new singer, and if it were to happen organically, I’d be open. Seems pretty clear, yet I guess some folks have a hard time understanding.
“I’m not into predicting the future. The future will happen.”
Shinoda made his comments in an apparent response to how the media covered an interview he gave to Rock Antenne. When asked about the possibility of finding a new singer, Shinoda said: “That’s not my goal right now. I think it has to happen naturally. And if we find somebody that’s a great person that we think is a good personality fit and a good stylistic fit, then I could see trying to do some stuff with somebody… I wouldn’t wanna ever feel like we were replacing Chester.”
Shinoda added: “I know the other guys, they love to get onstage, they love to be in the studio, and so to not do that would be — I don’t know — almost unhealthy. If doing that means that we need to have some other people in the mix in order to do it and do it well, then we would do that… But, like I said before, it has to happen naturally. I’m not running out and putting up ‘vocalist wanted’ posters.”
LINKIN PARK has been on hiatus since the death of Bennington in 2017.
Last April, Shinoda said that there are no plans for new music, albums or live shows from the band.
The 45-year-old musician, who was appointed Community Innovation Advisor of Warner Recorded Music (WRM),addressed LINKIN PARK‘s future during a Twitch livestream.
“The only LINKIN PARK news I have for you is that… Yeah, we talk every few weeks — I talk to the guys, or some of the guys,” he said. “And there’s no tours, there’s no music, there’s no albums in the pipeline. Okay, so let me just tell you that. So just keep in your minds that that is not happening.
“I’m just gonna say that much for now,” he continued. “I say that because anytime the band says anything or does anything, everyone tries to start up the hype train, and we’re, like, ‘No, no, no, no. Don’t start up the hype train.’ You’re gonna disappoint yourself. Don’t do that.”
LINKIN PARK has not performed together in public since October 2017, when the surviving members staged a tribute concert in Los Angeles to singer Chester Bennington. The band has not officially announced whether it intends to carry on following the death of Bennington, who committed suicide in July 2017 at the age of 41.
Four years ago, Shinoda shot down reports that LINKIN PARK was actively searching for a replacement for Bennington. In February 2019, Shinoda took to his Twitter account to write: “Lemme clarify a rumor: we are not looking for a new singer, and if it were to happen organically, I’d be open. Seems pretty clear, yet I guess some folks have a hard time understanding.
“I’m not into predicting the future. The future will happen.”
Shinoda made his comments in an apparent response to how the media covered an interview he gave to Rock Antenne. When asked about the possibility of finding a new singer, Shinoda said: “That’s not my goal right now. I think it has to happen naturally. And if we find somebody that’s a great person that we think is a good personality fit and a good stylistic fit, then I could see trying to do some stuff with somebody… I wouldn’t wanna ever feel like we were replacing Chester.”
Shinoda added: “I know the other guys, they love to get onstage, they love to be in the studio, and so to not do that would be — I don’t know — almost unhealthy. If doing that means that we need to have some other people in the mix in order to do it and do it well, then we would do that… But, like I said before, it has to happen naturally. I’m not running out and putting up ‘vocalist wanted’ posters.”
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