Mike Shinoda gave an explanation of how and why Linkin Park chose Emily Armstrong as their new vocalist in a recent interview with Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1.

Yesterday, September 5, Linkin Park played their first gig as a band since Chester Bennington’s death in July of 2017 in front of a modest crowd in Los Angeles. Along with Armstrong and new drummer Colin Brittain, fans witnessed the return of Shinoda, Brad Delson (who was not present at the webcast performance), Joe Hahn, and Dave “Phoenix” Farrell to the lineup.

Along with revealing the lineup, the band also released a new song called “The Emptiness Machine,” disclosed a few 2024 tour dates, and announced a new album called From Zero.

The Los Angeles band Dead Sara, of which Armstrong is most recognized as the vocalist, put out three studio albums between 2012 and 2021. How, therefore, did she end up taking over as co-vocalist for one of the most well-known and popular bands to come out of the rock and metal scene of the 2000s?

Armstrong informed Lowe, “We actually began writing in 2019,” referring to the beginning of her collaboration with Shinoda. “Everything was in doubt once we performed a few songs. Simply going in and writing some things was enjoyable.

Shinoda shared his thoughts on Armstrong a little later in the conversation, explaining how he eventually realized she was a good fit for Linkin Park in spite of his “audio baggage.”

“I think a lot when I’m digesting stuff in general. I’m thinking more when I’m listening to our songs. We conducted numerous sessions with numerous individuals. “They were just sessions, not try-outs,” he recalled.

“And it was the first time my brain recognized it as a Linkin Park song when I began to hear Emily’s voice on things. I could take it when it was just my voice. However, when we added additional voices to the songs—after hearing Emily’s voice repeatedly—it was like, “Yeah, that feels good.”

Armstrong, a longtime admirer of Linkin Park, even mentioned her own personal connection to the band at one point in the chat. She mentioned that Hybrid Theory was one of her favorite albums and that it made her want to yell and sing.

Naturally, it reaches a point where people remark, “This is crazy.” “I would love to do [Bennington] proud,” she added, “but I would never have imagined.”