Now, this is like our ordinary features. Today we are featuring a rock babe who filled really big shoes. Ladies and gentlemen, this is Emily Armstrong. The now lead vocalist of Rap Metal icon Linkin Park…
And if you’re expecting a lot of skin, well, her hotness (90% attitude) doesn’t really need to show that much. So let’s get to know this woman a bit. Because, my friend, in the end… how hot she is really matters.
Who is Emily Armstrong
Emily is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist who has basically made a career out of turning raw emotion into very loud, very good music. She first made waves as the co-founder of the rock band Dead Sara, where her gritty, powerhouse vocals quickly became impossible to ignore. In September 2024, she leveled up again, stepping in as the co-vocalist of Linkin Park — which is about as casual as saying you “joined a band” when that band happens to be Linkin Park.
Raised in Los Angeles, Emily picked up a guitar at 11 and clearly thought, “Yeah, this is it.” She was so sure about it that she eventually left high school to chase music full-time — a bold move that paid off in distortion pedals and sold-out crowds.
She’s known for vocals that hit like a lightning bolt and performances that feel more like controlled chaos (the good kind). Along the way, she’s also teamed up with artists like Courtney Love and Demi Lovato, proving she can hold her own in any room — especially the loud ones.
Her Early Life
Emily Marcia Armstrong was born on May 6, 1986, in Los Angeles — a city where “pursuing your dreams” is practically part of the air quality. She grew up in a family deeply involved in the Church of Scientology and was raised in that environment.
Music, though, became her real calling early on. She started writing songs and playing guitar at just 11 years old — which is around the age most kids are still figuring out multiplication tables. By 15, she’d added singing to the mix, because apparently mastering one musical skill wasn’t ambitious enough.
High school? Not exactly her long-term plan. Emily has said she knew she wanted to be in a rock band — full stop. No backup plan, no “just in case,” no five-year corporate vision board. Just loud guitars, big stages, and a very clear sense of direction.
Career Journey
In 2002, Emily teamed up with guitarist Siouxsie Medley after meeting through a mutual friend — proof that sometimes the best bands start the same way as group chats: “You two should meet.” Turns out, they had the same musical obsessions. Think Nirvana and L7 grit, blended with the soul of ’60s and ’70s folk and blues, plus a healthy devotion to legends like Led Zeppelin, Stevie Nicks, Joni Mitchell, and Fleetwood Mac. Subtle? Not exactly. Iconic? Absolutely.
Before they were Dead Sara, they went by the name Epiphany — which sounds less like a rock band and more like something you’d journal about. Their first gig as Dead Sara was at The Mint in Los Angeles in March 2005. Emily wasn’t just front and center on vocals — she was also playing bass, because why not be overachieving from the start?
As a songwriter, she pulled heavily from folk rock, especially artists like Joni Mitchell. Her love of open and alternate tunings helped shape what Guitar World later called Dead Sara’s signature sound — moody, textured, and just the right amount of rebellious. On stage, though, she tapped into pure chaos energy, drawing inspiration from Iggy Pop and Janis Joplin. Translation: it wasn’t a performance, it was an experience.
Even before Dead Sara released their debut, Emily was already turning heads. Courtney Love was so impressed that she brought Emily to New York to sing on Hole’s 2010 album Nobody’s Daughter. Casual.
Then came a full-circle rock moment. On September 5, 2024, during a livestreamed Linkin Park concert, Emily was officially introduced as the band’s new co-lead vocalist. The stream opened with “The Emptiness Machine,” the lead single from their album From Zero, which dropped on November 15, 2024 — and just like that, a new era began.
Her first public show with Linkin Park took place on September 11, 2024, at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles. Critics took notice immediately. Los Angeles Times reviewer Steve Appleford praised her ability to balance rich melodies with full-throttle, throat-ripping vocals that fit seamlessly into the band’s sound. Over at Variety, Chris Willman pointed out that the 17,000-strong crowd basically gave their approval in the form of a nonstop roar — one that rivaled the one she was unleashing from the stage.
Not a bad way to introduce yourself to the world.
Trivia and Controversies
Emily is openly queer and has been refreshingly matter-of-fact about living her truth. In 2016, she was in a relationship with model Kate Harrison — a pairing that definitely made the cool-girl Pinterest boards somewhere very happy.
Her connection to the Church of Scientology has also drawn attention over the years. In 2013, she was photographed at the Church’s 44th Anniversary Gala for its Celebrity Centre International, and a press release afterward identified her as one of its “prominent members.” When she joined Linkin Park in September 2024, media coverage quickly revisited those ties, and some fans voiced concerns. According to the BBC, Emily has never publicly detailed her relationship with the Church, though several Dead Sara lyrics have been interpreted as critical of or distancing from its teachings.
That same month, reports surfaced that she had attended a 2020 court hearing for former actor Danny Masterson, who was later convicted of rape. One of Masterson’s accusers, Chrissie Carnell-Bixler, and her spouse, musician Cedric Bixler-Zavala, publicly criticized Emily’s attendance. On September 6, Emily addressed the situation, explaining that she had attended one hearing in support of someone she considered a friend at the time. She said she later realized it was a mistake, has not been in contact with him since, and made clear that she does not condone abuse or violence against women and stands with victims.
Before stepping into her role with Linkin Park, Emily had already built a seriously stacked résumé. She’s recorded and/or performed live with artists like The Offspring, Beck, Demi Lovato, AWOLNATION, and Robby Krieger of The Doors — which is a pretty solid way of saying she was booked, busy, and very much respected in rock circles long before the stadium lights got even brighter.
Emily Armstrong Photos
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