Linkin Park reunite with new female singer Emily Armstrong

Linkin Park has announced that Emily Armstrong, lead singer of Dead Sara, will join the band as their new co-vocalist. The announcement was made Thursday during a live performance event. Additionally, songwriter and producer Colin Brittain, known for his work with G Flip, Illenium, and One OK Rock, will take on the role of drummer.

The news was paired with the release of a new single, “The Emptiness Machine,” marking the band’s first new music in seven years and the lead track for their upcoming album, “From Zero.” The album, set to release on November 15 via Warner Records, will be Linkin Park’s first full-length project since 2017’s “One More Light,” which was released two months before the passing of lead vocalist Chester Bennington.

The current lineup includes Mike Shinoda, Brad Delson, Phoenix, Joe Hahn, and the two new members, Armstrong and Brittain. The band will support the new album with a six-date arena tour, stopping in Los Angeles, New York, Hamburg, London, Seoul, and Bogota.

The group performed together for the first time in Los Angeles on Thursday for ticketed fans who were bused to a studio lot. The event was livestreamed and will be available on Linkin Park’s official online channels for the next 24 hours.

According to a press release, Shinoda, Delson, Farrell, and Hahn “quietly began meeting up again in recent years” and worked with various musicians before finding a unique connection with Armstrong and Brittain. Reflecting on the band’s new chapter, Shinoda said, “Before Linkin Park, our first band name was Xero. This album title refers to both this humble beginning and the journey we’re currently undertaking. Sonically and emotionally, it is about past, present, and future—embracing our signature sound, but new and full of life.”

“The Emptiness Machine” is described as embodying the essence of Linkin Park. Shinoda expressed excitement about the new lineup, stating that the band feels “empowered” by their fresh sound, which weaves together familiar sonic elements while exploring new territories.

Pre-sale tickets for the “From Zero” tour will be available for LP Underground fan club members starting September 6, with general sales beginning on September 7.

This new era comes on the heels of Linkin Park’s release of “Papercuts (Singles Collection 2000-2023)” earlier this spring. The 20-song LP features the band’s greatest hits, including “In the End,” “Burn It Down,” and “Numb/Encore,” and helped push their 2003 album “Meteora” back into the Billboard 200’s top 10.