Mike Shinoda Says This Isn’t a Linkin Park Reunion, It’s “Intended to be a New Chapter”

In a recent interview with BBC Radio 1's New Music Show With Jack Saunders, additional details about the creation of Linkin Park's reformation were revealed.  Vocalist Mike Shinoda stated in the interview (transcribed by Blabbermouth) that he met the band's new vocalist, Emily Armstrong, back in 2019 and that's when things really started to take off.

 It's crazy.  We've been preparing for this moment for a while, after all.  To recap, I believe I first met Emily in 2019.  Her name was just mentioned to me by several pals.  We just played around and wrote a few things.  Additionally, the meeting took precedence over the songwriting.  Although the songs were good, the main focus was on who is person.

And after a while, Joe, Dave, and I simply began to get together more frequently.  Furthermore, there was no plan to resurrect the band or anything.  Things were just gradually coming together, and after a while, things with Emily and our new drummer Colin just started to work out.

 The band has experienced ups and downs ever since the new lineup was announced on September 11.  They have announced a new album, embarked on a global tour, and released a few singles, including "The Emptiness Machine" and "Heavy Is The Crown," but they have also been embroiled in controversy since information about Armstrong's connections to Scientology and convicted rapist Danny Masterson damaged the public's perception of them.

Who knows what the vetting process was like, given how Shinoda met Armstrong five years ago? It's highly unlikely that the band was unaware that those problems may arise.  Nevertheless, Shinoda expressed his excitement about carrying on with this version of Linkin Park.  He claims it's a way to remember the late Chester Bennington as well as a fresh start.

The second week of November marks the release of the album.  And when people hear it, I hope they truly realize that this isn't a rewrite or a repeat of Linkin Park.  This is supposed to be Linkin Park's next chapter.  We think the previous chapter was fantastic and we adore it.  And that was the end of it.  The question that suddenly confronted us was, "Well, what do you do if you start from scratch with another voice?"  Additionally, Emily's voice has such emotion when she sings the song, man.  She is completely herself.  The best thing about her is that she isn't attempting to be Chester or anybody else.