Linkin Park remains one of the biggest bands in the world, despite going on an indefinite hiatus in 2017. Since then, the question of their return was on fans’ lips for years. This hiatus, brought about by the death of their frontman Chester Bennington, came to an end in September 2024, when the band announced that they would be releasing a new album with a new lead singer, Emily Armstrong. The news was initially met with joy from fans, but that joy soon soured when some information about Armstrong’s affiliation with scientology began to come to light.
Who is Emily Armstrong?
Emily Armstrong is a singer and songwriter best known for co-founding and singing in the band Dead Sara. Armstrong formed the band with Siouxsie Medley in 2005 and the band consists of the two women on vocals, bass, and guitar, with Sean Friday on drums.
Their eponymous debut album, Dead Sara, was released in 2021, and the lead single “Weatherman” is still one of their best-known songs. They have released two more albums since then: 2015’s Pleasure to Meet You, and 2021’s Ain’t it Tragic.
On Sept. 5, 2021, Linkin Park announced that Armstrong would be joining the band as a new lead vocalist. In a live-streamed event, she debuted a new single with the band titled “The Emptiness Machine” and announced the band’s latest album, From Zero. This will be the band’s first album since the death of former lead singer Chester Bennington in 2017.
Is Emily Armstrong a scientologist?
The Church of Scientology has been called a cult, a money-making scheme, and a quasi-religious group since it emerged. It was founded by writer L. Ron Hubbard in the 1950s, and has been mired in controversy since its origins. The Church has been accused of all kinds of acts such as harassment of women, death of members, physical assault of staff, and many more. Several celebrities have been linked to the Church, and fans found that Emily Armstrong was one of them.
Armstrong was pictured at the Church’s 14th Anniversary Gala in 2013. There were many celebrities in attendance, including: John Travolta, Jenna Elfman, and Mars Volta lead singer Cedric Bixler-Zavala, who Armstrong was pictured beside. While Armstrong hasn’t been linked directly to the Church since then, another connection to the Church of Scientology has fans worried about her addition to the band.
Emily Armstrong was present at the trial of Danny Masterson in 2022. The actor was convicted of two rapes and sentenced to 30 years in prison. Masterson was infamously known to be a lifelong member of the Church of Scientology. He was accused of rape by two women who were also members of the Church,and this news hasn’t sat well with fans. Since the controversy surrounding her entry into Linkin Park emerged, Armstrong hasn’t given any statements on the accusations, or her relationship to the Church of Scientology.
Published: Sep 6, 2024 12:04 pm