Chester Bennington’s mother feels ‘betrayed’ by Linkin Park reunion

Since Linkin Park announced their reunion through a YouTube livestream on September 6, 2024, there has been significant controversy surrounding the affair. The band's new vocalist, Emily Armstrong, joined after Chester Bennington’s death by suicide and came under fire immediately for her ties with the Church of Scientology and her support of convicted rapist Danny Masterson.

Armstrong immediately issued a statement, claiming she had not spoken to Masterson in years and regretted her testimony for someone she once considered a dear friend.

As the dust seemingly settled on the matter, a new controversy emerged in the shape of sharp statements from Jamie Bennington, Chester’s son. Jaime alleged that the band was trying to erase his father’s legacy and disapproved of Emily Armstrong due to her ties to Masterson and Scientology.

He also claimed that the band had been working on this reunion as far back as 2017, right after Chester’s untimely demise and did not care to consult his family on the matter. Some supported Jaime standing up for his father’s legacy, while others bashed him for trying to ruin a new chapter for the band.

Despite the melodrama, Jaime attended Linkin Park’s debut show in Los Angeles, despite claiming the band didn't facilitate him. Linkin Park’s co-singer and founder also addressed Jaime’s criticism on stage, between songs, saying that the goal was not to erase the past but to move on.

As the tour rages on, a new statement from former singer Chester Bennington’s mother Susan Eubanks has surfaced, causing quite the stir amongst fans. In an exclusive interview with Rolling Stone, Eubanks claimed that the band—specifically co-founder Mike Shinoda and DJ Joe Hahn—didn't warn her they would be recording and touring with a new singer.

"I found out about Emily Armstrong joining the band on Google," Eubanks told the publication. "I feel betrayed. They told me that if they were ever going to do something, they would let me know. They didn't let me know, and they probably knew that I (wasn't) going to be very happy. I'm very upset about it."

Jaime Bennington's Instagram stories dubbing the reunion of Linkin Park as an attempt to erase his father's legacyInstagram

Eubanks stated that she suspected the band might tour again but thought only Mike Shinoda would be involved on the vocal front. "I thought Mike would go out and sing the songs, and they just wouldn't sound the same," she said.

"And I would've been OK with that, but I’m not OK with this, to have somebody replace him and try to do what he did. I don't think that there’s anybody in the world that has the same voice. And when I heard that, I was just so repelled that no, they're trying to do exactly what Chester did, but they're not succeeding at it."

Emily Armstrong's statement following the backlash she faced after her announcement as the new singer for Linkin ParkInstagram

When asked what she would like to say to the band now after all that has transpired, she added "If I could tell the band members anything it's that I feel betrayed. You made a promise to me that you would let us know and you didn't. If you were going to do this, this is the wrong way to do it, don’t put her out there to sing Chester's songs and then act like this was always the way it should have been. It's like making him go away, erasing the past."

With those closest to the late Linkin Park singer seemingly unaware of the developments within the band, one really questions the motive of the band and whether blindsiding their former bandmates’ family was the best way to start a new legacy. Linkin Park have not issued a statement on the matter as of the publishing of this report.