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Emily Armstrong

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For other uses, see Emily Armstrong (disambiguation).

Emily Armstrong
Armstrong with Linkin Park in 2024
Armstrong with Linkin Park in 2024
Background information
Birth nameEmily Marcia Armstrong
Born (1986-05-06) May 6, 1986 (age 38)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genres
Occupations
  • Singer
  • musician
  • songwriter
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • guitar
Years active2002–present
Member of

Emily Marcia Armstrong (born May 6, 1986) is an American singer. The co-founder of Dead Sara, she joined Linkin Park as the band's new lead vocalist in September 2024, following the death of their long-time lead vocalist Chester Bennington in 2017.

Early life

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Armstrong was born in Los Angeles. Her parents were prominent members of the Church of Scientology, and she was raised as a Scientologist.[1] She started to write songs and play guitar when she was 11 and began to sing when she was 15. She dropped out of high school; she knew she wanted to be in a rock band when she picked up the guitar and had no interest in pursuing anything else.[2] In an interview with the El Paso Times in 2012, Armstrong said music was the one thing that kept her motivated in life.[3]

Career

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Dead Sara

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Armstrong with Dead Sara in Akvárium, Budapest

In 2002, Armstrong began playing with guitarist Siouxsie Medley, who she met through a mutual friend. They had similar taste in music; both Medley and Armstrong were influenced by Nirvana and L7, among others, and 1960s and 1970s folk and blues artists and classic rock bands such as Led Zeppelin, Stevie Nicks, Joni Mitchell, and Fleetwood Mac.[4]

Initially known as Epiphany, Dead Sara's first gig was at the Los Angeles nightclub The Mint in March 2005. In addition to singing, Armstrong played the bass.[5] As a songwriter, Armstrong was significantly influenced by folk rock. Her interest in open and alternate tunings, such as those used by Mitchell, resulted in what Guitar World referred to as Dead Sara's signature sound.[5] As a performer, she was influenced by artists including Iggy Pop and Janis Joplin.[6]

Armstrong received significant attention as a singer before Dead Sara's debut was released. Noting her "strong, urgent sound", Grace Slick said Armstrong was a singer she admired in an interview with the Wall Street Journal in 2011,[7] and Courtney Love brought Armstrong to New York to sing on Hole's 2010 album, Nobody's Daughter.[8]

Prior to joining Linkin Park, she recorded and/or performed live with artists including the Offspring,[9] Beck, Demi Lovato,[10] Awolnation,[11] and Robby Krieger of the Doors.[12]

Linkin Park

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Armstrong performing with Linkin Park in 2024

On September 5, 2024, at the start of a livestreamed Linkin Park concert, Armstrong was introduced as the band's new co-lead vocalist. The livestream included a performance of "The Emptiness Machine", the lead single of the group's forthcoming album From Zero, which released on November 15, 2024.[13][14]

Linkin Park's first public show with Armstrong took place on September 11, 2024 at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles. In a review in Los Angeles Times, Steve Appleford wrote: "Like Bennington, Armstrong is as capable with rich melodies as throat-ripping vocals, which fit naturally in the established Linkin Park sound."[15] Chris Willman's review in Variety noted that the estimated audience of 17,000 were "clearly signaling their assent to her joining the band with a constant roar that roughly matched the one she was putting out."[16]

Personal life

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In 2016, Armstrong was in a relationship with model Kate Harrison.[17] She identifies as queer.[1]

Church of Scientology

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In 2013, Armstrong was photographed attending the 44th Anniversary Gala of the Church of Scientology's Celebrity Centre International[18] and, in a press release following the event, the Church identified her as one of several "prominent members".[19] Shortly after Armstrong joined Linkin Park in September 2024, she was the subject of media reports about her ties to the controversial church. Some of the band's fans were also critical of her affiliation with the Church.[20] According to the BBC, "Armstrong has never publicly commented on her relationship with the church, but several of Dead Sara's lyrics suggest criticism and rejection of Scientology's teachings."[1]

Also in September 2024, it came to light that Armstrong had attended a 2020 criminal hearing of former actor and convicted rapist Danny Masterson, a longtime Scientologist.[21][22][23] Reports noted that one of Masterson's alleged victims, Chrissie Carnell-Bixler, and her spouse, Mars Volta and At the Drive-In singer and former Scientologist Cedric Bixler-Zavala, were publicly critical of Armstrong's decision to attend a hearing during Masterson's trial.[24] On September 6, Armstrong clarified that while she attended one court appearance in support of someone whom she considered a friend at the time, she realized shortly afterward she should not have done so and had not spoken to them since. She said she does not condone abuse or violence against women and empathizes with the victims of these crimes.[25]

Discography

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With Dead Sara

With Linkin Park

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Linkin Park's new singer: The Emily Armstrong controversy explained". www.bbc.com. Archived from the original on September 11, 2024. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
  2. ^ Burger, David (September 24, 2012). "Song of the Day: X96 Big Ass Show performer Dead Sara's 'The Weatherman'". The Salt Lake Tribune. Archived from the original on September 13, 2024. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  3. ^ Pullen, Doug (May 22, 2012). "Dead Sara Rocks Up a Storm on New CD". El Paso Times (Retrieved via ProQuest). ProQuest 1015084398. Archived from the original on September 13, 2024. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
  4. ^ a b Law, Sam (May 11, 2022). "5 Reasons Why You Need to Check Out Dead Sara". Kerrang!. Archived from the original on June 18, 2023. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  5. ^ a b Arrieta, Vincent (April 14, 2022). "How Dead Sara take Joni Mitchell's approach to alternate tunings and apply it to the ferocious world of rock 'n' roll". Guitar World. Archived from the original on September 6, 2024. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
  6. ^ "Entertainment - Technorati". technorati.com. Archived from the original on September 4, 2024. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  7. ^ Myers, Marc (April 29, 2011). "She Chased White Rabbits". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on January 8, 2015. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  8. ^ Baltin, Steve (March 28, 2012). "Dead Sara Gears Up for Breakout Year". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on September 6, 2024. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  9. ^ Punknews.org (January 15, 2013). "Videos: The Offspring: "Gone Away" (w/ Emily Armstrong)". www.punknews.org. Archived from the original on November 11, 2020. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  10. ^ Ruggieri, Melissa. "Demi Lovato excavates demons with honesty on new album: 'I can't believe I'm not dead,' she sings". USA TODAY. Archived from the original on July 17, 2024. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  11. ^ "AWOLNATION announce new album, unveil "Jump Sit Stand March" feat. Dead Sara's Emily Armstrong". Consequence. May 31, 2024. Archived from the original on September 2, 2024. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  12. ^ Baltin, Steve. "The Doors' John Densmore On Paying Tribute To Ray Manzarek, Supporting The Youth And More". Forbes. Archived from the original on January 16, 2020. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  13. ^ Lipshutz, Jason (September 5, 2024). "Inside Linkin Park's Secret Comeback". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 5, 2024. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  14. ^ Paul, Larisha (September 6, 2024). "Linkin Park Unveil Emily Armstrong as New Co-Vocalist, Announce 2024 World Tour and Album". RollingStone. Archived from the original on September 6, 2024. Retrieved September 6, 2024.
  15. ^ Appleford, Steve (September 12, 2024). "Linkin Park comes roaring back with more than an echo of its past with new singer at Kia Forum". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on September 13, 2024. Retrieved September 12, 2024.
  16. ^ Willman, Chris (September 12, 2024). "Linkin Park Thrills L.A. Forum Crowd With New Singer in First Full Show Since 2017: See the 27-Song Setlist". Variety. Archived from the original on September 13, 2024. Retrieved September 12, 2024.
  17. ^ Daniela Westermayer (September 6, 2024). "Wer ist Emily Armstrong?". Südwest Presse (in German). Archived from the original on September 13, 2024. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
  18. ^ Ortega, Tony (September 19, 2020). "Read Danny Masterson's 'demurrer' he's hoping will get his criminal charges dismissed". The Underground Bunker. Archived from the original on September 6, 2024. Retrieved September 6, 2024.
  19. ^ "Church of Scientology Celebrity Centre Hosts 44th Anniversary Gala" (Press release). Los Angeles: Church of Scientology International. August 24, 2013. Archived from the original on September 13, 2024. Retrieved September 7, 2024.
  20. ^ Bird, Daniel (September 6, 2024). "New Linkin Park singer Emily Armstrong sparks backlash over alleged Scientology and Danny Masterson links". The Daily Mirror. Archived from the original on September 6, 2024. Retrieved September 7, 2024.
  21. ^ "Linkin Park Fans Re-Share Cedric-Bixler Zavala's Message to Emily Armstrong Over Alleged Links to Scientology and Danny Masterson". NME. September 6, 2024. Archived from the original on September 6, 2024. Retrieved September 6, 2024.
  22. ^ Blistein, Jon (September 6, 2024). "Cedric Bixler-Zavala Slams Linkin Park's Emily Armstrong Over Alleged Danny Masterson Support". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on September 7, 2024. Retrieved September 7, 2024.
  23. ^ Curto, Justin (September 6, 2024). "What's Up With Linkin Park's New Singer?". Vulture. Archived from the original on September 13, 2024. Retrieved September 7, 2024.
  24. ^ Deville, Chris (September 6, 2024). "The Mars Volta's Cedric Bixler-Zavala Calls Out Linkin Park's New Singer For Her Support Of Danny Masterson And Links To Scientology". Stereogum. Archived from the original on September 6, 2024. Retrieved September 7, 2024.
  25. ^ Aswad, Jem (September 6, 2024). "New Linkin Park Singer Emily Armstrong Responds to Criticism Over Danny Masterson Support". Variety. Archived from the original on September 7, 2024. Retrieved September 6, 2024.
  26. ^ Lymangrover, Jason. "Biography: Dead Sara". AllMusic. Archived from the original on May 22, 2023. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
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