According to sources close to Linkin Park speaking to Billboard, three members of the band are thinking about doing a reunion tour in 2025 and are thinking about getting a female singer to take the place of their late frontman, Chester Bennington.
Booking agency WME is said to be taking offers for possible Linkin Park tour dates, including the band headlining festivals. But the band hasn’t said yet who will be the lead singer yet. Considering Bennington’s vocal range, and the band’s mix of styles, it seems that it won’t be easy to find a new singer.
Orgy’s Jay Gordon Accidentally Revealed The News
These rumors got stronger after Jay Gordon of Orgy talked about it during an appearance on Wired in the Empire on KCAL 96.7. The singer said that Linkin Park is a great band and suggested they might get a female singer. However, Gordon later said he didn’t know anything about it:
“These guys are cool, and they’re a big band. Been around for ages and still going strong. It’ll be tough without Chester, but let’s see. I heard they’re trying out a female singer now. That’s what I heard. Don’t quote me on it. Not sure who the singer is, but I heard it’s gonna be a lady. Maybe they’re trying something new like that. Could be interesting.”
Later, Shinoda mentioned on a Twitch livestream in 2022 that he has stayed in touch with the band, but they were not planning any tours or albums. He also told fans not to get too excited.
Following the comments, Dicodec shared their guesses on who might be the new Linkin Park singer in a YouTube video. They talked about the possibility of continuing with a female Japanese singer and threw around some names. They think a Japanese singer might be likely since Mike Shinoda is half-Japanese.
Amy Lee Offered To Be The New Singer
Evanescence singer Amy Lee also commented on it following the rumors. In an interview with iHeart Radio, Lee addressed the speculation about her potentially stepping in as a replacement for Bennington. When asked if she was aware of the rumors, she replied:
“I have not heard that. No, I have not been contacted or anything like that. But [I’m a] huge fan feel like our worlds, our fanbases are a lot of the same people.”
However, she mentioned how sweet it was and even sent an offer to the band:
“That’s really sweet. We never… Well, did we play shows? I don’t know if [Evanescence and Linkin Park] were on a festival together or whatever. We met. We were in the studio at the same time. When we were making ‘Fallen’, I just briefly got to have a conversation or two with Chester. He was really sweet. But no, it’s not true. But that’s awesome. They should ask me about that. I don’t have a ton of free time, but I might do it part-time.”
For now, fans expect the band to officially announce who the new singer is.