Jaime Bennington, the son of late Linkin Park frontman Chester Bennington, has voiced his strong opinions about the band's decision to add a new, controversial lead singer to their lineup.
Emily Armstrong's debut with Linkin Park on Thursday, September 5, alongside new drummer Colin Brittain, came as the band announced a fresh album and tour, marking their first major project since Chester's death by suicide in 2017. Armstrong, who co-founded the band Dead Sara, has raised eyebrows for some of her past statements and alleged ties to Scientology.
Jaime took to Instagram on Monday, September 9 to express his concerns, accusing co-lead Mike Shinoda and the rest of the band of "quietly eras[ing] my father's life and legacy in real time... during international suicide prevention month." He criticized Armstrong for her previous connections with the Church of Scientology and her support for actor Danny Masterson, who was recently convicted of rape.
In his posts, Jaime suggested that Linkin Park has failed to consider the diverse views of their fans, accusing the band of betraying their trust. He called out the group for not addressing the fanbase's concerns and for being out of touch with their values, concluding that "Now you're just senile and tone deaf." He further called out Shinoda for allegedly muting him on the app, saying, "I'd mention you but you restricted my interactions with you because you don't like what I have to say. So this will have to do."
Armstrong did some damage control on September 6, releasing her own statement clarifying that her previous involvement with Masterson was limited and expressing her disapproval of abuse and violence against women. She emphasized that she has not supported Masterson since those early hearings, saying, "To say it as clearly as possible: I do not condone abuse or violence against women, and I empathize with the victims of these crimes."
Linkin Park is currently made up of Shinoda, Brad Delson, and Joe Hahn in addition to Armstrong and Brittain.
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