Emily Marcia Armstrong (born May 6, 1986) is an American singer and guitarist. The co-founder ofDead Sara, she became the lead singer ofLinkin Park when the band regrouped in September 2024, seven years after the death of their long-time lead vocalistChester Bennington.
Armstrong was born inLos Angeles. Her parents were prominent members of theChurch of Scientology, and she was raised as aScientologist.[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 said she wanted to be in a rock band and had no interest in pursuing anything else.[2] In an interview with theEl Paso Times in 2012, Armstrong said music was the one thing that kept her motivated in life.[3]
In 2002, Armstrong began playing with guitaristSiouxsie Medley, who she met through a mutual friend. They had similar taste in music; both Medley and Armstrong were influenced byNirvana andL7, among others, and 1960s and 1970s folk and blues artists and classic rock bands such asLed Zeppelin,Stevie Nicks,Joni Mitchell, andFleetwood 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 inopen and alternate tunings, such as those used by Mitchell, resulted in whatGuitar World referred to as Dead Sara's signature sound.[5] As a performer, she was influenced by artists includingIggy Pop andJanis 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 theWall Street Journal in 2011,[7] andCourtney Love brought Armstrong to New York to sing onHole's 2010 album,Nobody's Daughter.[8]
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 began with a performance of "The Emptiness Machine", the lead single of the group's albumFrom Zero, which was released on November 15, 2024.[13][14]
Linkin Park's first public show with Armstrong took place on September 11, 2024, at theKia Forum in Los Angeles. In a review inLos 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 inVariety 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]
In 2013, Armstrong was photographed attending the 44th Anniversary Gala of theChurch of Scientology'sCelebrity 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 thecontroversial church. Some of the band's fans were also critical of her affiliation with the Church.[20] According to theBBC, "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 rapistDanny Masterson, a longtime Scientologist.[21][22][23] Reports noted that one of Masterson's alleged victims, Chrissie Carnell-Bixler and her spouse,Mars Volta andAt the Drive-In singer and former ScientologistCedric 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 she considered a friend at the time, she realized shortly afterward she should not have done so and had not spoken to the person since. She said she does not condone abuse or violence against women and empathizes with victims of these crimes.[25]
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Media related toEmily Armstrong at Wikimedia Commons
