Jaime Bennington, the son of late Linkin Park frontman Chester Bennington, has spoken out against the band’s decision to bring on a new lead singer. He has called the move a “betrayal” of his father’s memory.
Recently, it was announced that Emily Armstrong would take over as the lead singer for Linkin Park. She is preparing to go on a world tour where, she will perform some of the band’s most iconic songs, including those originally sung by Chester. Variety confirmed the matter.
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The decision has divided fans—some are excited to see the band continue, while others, like Jaime, are critical of the choice to hand over Chester’s songs to a new voice.
Jaime, 28, shared his frustration on social media, specifically directing his criticism at Mike Shinoda, one of the band’s co-founders. In his post, Jamie accused Shinoda of betraying the legacy of his father.
“You’ve quietly erased my father’s life and legacy in real time, betraying the trust that Linkin Park fans, including myself, had in you,” Jaime wrote.
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He went on to say that many other fans agree with him expressing disappointment that the songs his father once sang will now sound different.
“You’ve become out of touch and tone-deaf,” Jaime added.
For context, Chester Bennington tragically died by suicide on July 20, 2017. Following his death, Linkin Park went on hiatus but never officially disbanded.