Emily Armstrong revealed how she beat back her fears and doubts about replacing Chester Bennington as Linkin Park’s vocalist.

So far, the fan reception of Emily Armstrong has been very positive. Most are happy to see the band playing again, and it doesn’t hurt that it’s now fronted by a very talented singer.

In an official podcast episode, Armstrong spoke to Mike Shinoda about her initial struggle to make peace with her newfound position.

Shinoda remarked he’d noticed how much she doubted herself in the beginning Armstrong confirmed this, explaining how easily fear can consume you:

“Absolutely. Because it’s fear, you know? It’s such a big change that there was a moment where I was just like, ‘Oh my God, oh my God.’ It comes with all of the great things. When change happens, it’s not necessarily always…you have to look at every aspect.”

“There was a moment where I was just panicking a little bit, just being like, ‘Oh my God, oh my God. How do people see me?’ You know, not me being who I am. There’s gonna be more eyes on me. And it just kind of happened.”

“It was like a flood of these types of…it goes back to the identity thing, where it’s like, ‘My identity is changing. Are you ready for it, Emily? Are you fucking up? Do you want to be this person? Are you able to fill these shoes? Are you able to be this person?'”

Armstrong continued, sharing her recipe for overcoming fear:’

“That’s a time where I feel like, as an artist, people back down, and they go, ‘I don’t want that. I don’t want that, I just want to be this artist. I just want to be this. I want to be that.'”

“That’s the fear base that happens that makes you not…it’s the devil on the shoulder that’s like, ‘Don’t, don’t, don’t. Don’t grow as an artist. Don’t do that.’ And you do the opposite, that’s what I’ve learned – do the opposite of that fear thing, because it’s all good.”