‘She’ll be better than Chester’: Bangladeshi rockstars weigh in on Emily Armstrong
With the announcement of Emily Armstrong as Linkin Park’s new permanent vocalist, local rock singers believe the band made the right move
In the past 48 hours, the world has been buzzing with the news of Linkin Park's return, announcing a tour, a new album, and most shockingly, their first permanent vocalist since Chester Bennington's passing. With Emily Armstrong of Dead Sara stepping in, fans everywhere have been quick to voice their opinions on what this means for the band's future.
Even in Bangladesh, social media lit up with mixed reactions—some saying no one can replace Chester, while others saw it as a positive step forward. However, most of these reactions are based on personal feelings and attachment with the band rather than a deeper musical analysis.
So, we turned to some of our local rockstars, seasoned musicians who grew up as fans of Linkin Park and have since evolved into performers themselves. We asked them what they think of Emily Armstrong's addition and how she might shape the band's sound going forward.
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When 'Hybrid Theory' dropped 25 years ago, Raef Al Hasan Rafa was barely into his teens. Thanks to a friend living abroad, he got his hands on the album right around its release. The moment he slipped the CD into his Walkman, Rafa was hooked—a connection to Linkin Park's music that would shape him for life, even as he eventually drifted away from them as a listener.
"It was a key pillar in my journey to becoming a musician," Rafa reflects.
However, when it comes to his musical opinion and analysis on Emily Armstrong, Rafa wasn't shy of outrageous statements which can end up polarising all of you reading this. So brace yourselves.
"I would like to go on record and say that she [Emily] will end up being a much better performer than Chester in live shows," Rafa claims.
"Recording and performing live are two completely different ball games. I know firsthand how tough it is to nail those intense, hardcore vocals on stage without going out of tune, and Emily is one of those rare vocalists who can handle it flawlessly."
Rafa points out that Linkin Park, including Chester, was never flawless on stage, and it wouldn't be far-fetched to say that LP often sounded better in their recordings than live, especially in the past decade. Jamshed Chowdhury, the powerful thrash metal vocalist of Powersurge, notes the same that he has seen countless clips of Chester singing off key on stage.
However, after just one show with Linkin Park and years of heavy performances with Dead Sara, Emily has convinced Rafa she's the right choice.
He believes Linkin Park needed someone who can deliver powerful, consistent vocals like a machine. On top of that, Emily is not only a strong vocalist with good technique but also a skilled songwriter who understands her craft and knows exactly what she brings to the band.
Strong technique
Speaking of technique, as seen in yesterday's interview with Apple Music, original Linkin Park member Joe Hahn had only one question for Emily during her recruitment: how well could she scream? The moment he heard her, Hahn knew they had found their 'man'.
Jamshed knows a thing or two about screaming and growling for that's all he does when he's lighting up the stage with Powersurge. Having streamed Emily's debut show with Linkin Park, he points out that her technique when it comes to guttural vocals and screaming, are top notch.
"The way she owned the stage during 'Bleed it Out,' crouching low and screaming from her gut—it's pure underground music energy," Jamshed says. "Chester used to do it the same way in their early years! She stayed perfectly on key, and I know how tough it is to nail that every time."
Rafa added by pointing out, "She doesn't scream out of her lungs. She's very well articulated."
One of our very few female rock vocalists in the country, Tashfee, further feels that beyond the obvious talent and skill, there's a specific trait to notice in Emily's voice.
"The raspiness in her voice really sets her apart, and that was a key trait in Chester's vocals too. It might be why Mike Shinoda brought her on board," she says.
However, Tashfee wasn't entirely sold on Emily's abilities, pointing out that her softer vocals left something to be desired.
"Her softer voice seemed a bit off, to be honest. It could easily be the pressure she's under—maybe just nerves. No one is flawless on stage," she added.
No one's replacing Chester
Now, to address the elephant in the room, it has to be said that bringing in a new vocalist was never about replacing the irreplaceable Chester Bennington for Linkin Park, but about moving forward. It was about rebooting everything and starting 'From Zero' (pun intended).
Jamshed, Rafa, and Tashfee all agree that bringing in a female vocalist instantly wiped away half the inevitable comparisons.
Jamshed believes there was no other path forward—any male lead would always be compared to Chester, and none would ever measure up in the fans' eyes.
"I would've made the exact same choice," Rafa adds. "You have to reboot the band and move forward. There's a responsibility to yourself as a musician and to your global fan base."
More importantly, there are different avenues that Linkin Park can tap into in the near future because of the added nuances that Emily brings to the table, they can explore facets of music not previously explored and only time will tell how that shapes up to be.
To conclude, here's my two cents on all the comparison labels and "no one can replace Chester" fuss.
This wasn't some spur-of-the-moment decision. According to reports from heavyweights like 'Billboard' and 'Variety', the process of recruiting Emily Armstrong began as far back as 2019. Linkin Park could have chosen any vocalist on the planet, and they'd even featured several in live shows since Chester's passing.
But they ultimately turned to someone who, throughout her career, has tackled music far heavier and more demanding than anything Linkin Park usually composes or performs.
At their comeback show, just before diving into their iconic 'Crawling,' Mike Shinoda took a moment to address the Los Angeles crowd. Yet, it felt as though he was speaking to every Linkin Park fan across the world when he said, "And in the role of Chester Bennington this afternoon, is each of you."
And I think that's enough to settle the debate. Chester lives on in spirit and Linkin Park will move on with their music. Because in the end, that's all that matters.
