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Early life

Armstrong was born in Los Angeles. Her parents were prominent members of the Church of Scientology, and she was raised as a Scientologist. 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 knew she wanted to be in a rock band when she picked up the guitar and had no interest in pursuing anything else. In an interview with the El Paso Times in 2012, Armstrong said music was the one thing that kept her motivated in life.

Career

Dead Sara

In 2002, Armstrong began playing with guitarist Siouxsie Medley, who she met through a mutual friend. They had similar taste in music; both Medley and Armstrong were influenced by Nirvana and L7, among others, and 1960s and 1970s folk and blues artists and classic rock bands such as Led Zeppelin, Stevie Nicks, Joni Mitchell, and Fleetwood Mac. As a songwriter, Armstrong was significantly influenced by folk rock. Her interest in open and alternate tunings, such as those used by Mitchell, resulted in what Guitar World referred to as Dead Sara's signature sound. As a performer, she was influenced by artists including Iggy Pop and Janis Joplin.

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.

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 the Wall Street Journal in 2011, and Courtney Love brought Armstrong to New York to sing on Hole's 2010 album, Nobody's Daughter.

Prior to joining Linkin Park, she recorded and/or performed live with artists including the Offspring, Beck, Demi Lovato, Awolnation, and Robby Krieger of the Doors.

Linkin Park

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 included a performance of "The Emptiness Machine", the lead single of the group's forthcoming album From Zero, which will be released on November 15, 2024.

Linkin Park's first public show with Armstrong took place on September 11, 2024 at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles. In a review in Los 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." Chris Willman's review in Variety 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."

Controversies

Church of Scientology

In 2013, Armstrong was photographed attending the 44th Anniversary Gala of the Church of Scientology's Celebrity Centre International and, in a press release following the event, the Church identified her as one of several "prominent members". Shortly after Armstrong joined Linkin Park on September 5, 2024, she was the subject of media reports about her ties to the controversial Church. Some of the band's fans were also critical of her affiliation with the Church. According to the BBC, "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."

Danny Masterson support

Also in September 2024, it came to light that Armstrong had attended a 2020 criminal hearing of former actor and convicted rapist Danny Masterson, a longtime Scientologist. Reports noted that one of Masterson's alleged victims, Chrissie Carnell Bixler, and her spouse, Mars Volta and At the Drive-In singer and former Scientologist Cedric Bixler-Zavala, were publicly critical of Armstrong's decision to attend a hearing during Masterson's trial. On September 6, Armstrong clarified that while she attended one court appearance in support of Masterson, whom she considered a friend at the time, she realized shortly afterward she should not have done so and had not spoken to Masterson since. She said she does not condone abuse or violence against women and empathizes with Masterson's victims.

Personal life

In 2016, Armstrong was in a relationship with model Kate Harrison. She identifies as queer.

Discography

With Dead Sara

• The Airport Sessions (2008)
• Dead Sara (2012)
• Pleasure to Meet You (2015)
• The Covers (2017)
• Ain't It Tragic (2021)

With Linkin Park

• From Zero (2024)

References

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4. ^ Law, Sam (May 11, 2022). "5 Reasons Why You Need to Check Out Dead Sara". Kerrang!. Archived from the original on June 18, 2023. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
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12. Baltin, Steve. "The Doors' John Densmore On Paying Tribute To Ray Manzarek, Supporting The Youth And More". Forbes. Archived from the original on January 16, 2020. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
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14. Paul, Larisha (September 6, 2024). "Linkin Park Unveil Emily Armstrong as New Co-Vocalist, Announce 2024 World Tour and Album". RollingStone. Archived from the original on September 6, 2024. Retrieved September 6, 2024.
15. Appleford, Steve (September 12, 2024). "Linkin Park comes roaring back with more than an echo of its past with new singer at Kia Forum". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on September 13, 2024. Retrieved September 12, 2024.
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17. Ortega, Tony (September 19, 2020). "Read Danny Masterson's 'demurrer' he's hoping will get his criminal charges dismissed". The Underground Bunker. Archived from the original on September 6, 2024. Retrieved September 6, 2024.
18. "Church of Scientology Celebrity Centre Hosts 44th Anniversary Gala" (Press release). Los Angeles: Church of Scientology International. August 24, 2013. Archived from the original on September 13, 2024. Retrieved September 7, 2024.
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20. "Linkin Park Fans Re-Share Cedric-Bixler Zavala's Message to Emily Armstrong Over Alleged Links to Scientology and Danny Masterson". NME. Archived from the original on September 6, 2024. Retrieved September 6, 2024.
21. Blistein, Jon (September 6, 2024). "Cedric Bixler-Zavala Slams Linkin Park's Emily Armstrong Over Alleged Danny Masterson Support". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on September 7, 2024. Retrieved September 7, 2024.
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23. Deville, Chris (September 6, 2024). "The Mars Volta's Cedric Bixler-Zavala Calls Out Linkin Park's New Singer For Her Support Of Danny Masterson And Links To Scientology". Stereogum. Archived from the original on September 6, 2024. Retrieved September 7, 2024.
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26. Lymangrover, Jason. "Biography: Dead Sara". AllMusic. Archived from the original on May 22, 2023. Retrieved September 5, 2024.

• Living people
• American alternative rock singers
• American Scientologists
• American women rock singers
• Singers from Los Angeles
• 1986 births
• Nu metal singers
• Linkin Park members
• 21st-century American women singers
• Queer singers
• LGBTQ people from California