In 2017, the rock music community lost one of its greatest singers, Chester Bennington, to suicide. Since that time until this year, Chester’s band, Linkin Park, was said to be on hiatus, rather than just break up completely. Finally, less than a week ago, we learned that the band had finally hired a new lead singer, Emily Armstrong.

WHO???

I’d never heard of her, at all. And it seems her sudden appearance was a shock to many others too, but not for the reasons you’d think were obvious.

So she was a Scientologist. Does that mean she should be condemned for her past? I am an ex-Baha’i and I would think it unfair for me to be condemned for being a Baha’i if I joined a famous rock band. I’d want to be known for what I am NOW, a Unitarian Universalist. Likewise, Armstrong should be known for what she is NOW. I mean, has she made any statements defending the Church of Scientology lately?

As for her singing for Linkin Park:

She does well enough to satisfy me, but she may not win over hardcore fans who still miss Chester Bennington. But the band Linkin Park will live on, just as AD/DC did after losing Bon Scott and Metallica did after losing bassist Cliff Burton and both bands became even more successful later. So let’s watch and see what happens.