Integrating new members into a long-standing group can be a difficult transition, but for Linkin Park, the process was incredibly natural. During a recent interview at “Lollapalooza India,” band veterans Mike Shinoda and Joe Hahn opened up about the creative sessions that led to their massive November 2024 comeback album, From Zero.
The record marked the first full-length release from Linkin Park since 2017’s One More Light, and introduced fans to their new co-lead vocalist Emily Armstrong and drummer Colin Brittain. Before joining the legendary group, Brittain was already an established songwriter and producer working with acts like G Flip, Illenium, and One OK Rock.
According to Hahn, the secret to their successful studio sessions wasn’t just about musical talent, but rather building a genuine personal connection before recording even began.
“I think a big part of what makes us ‘us’ is when we’re in a room, usually at Mike‘s house in his studio, before we even make the music, we’re hanging out. We’re talking about life, things that we’re interested in and something that’s bothering us and kind of sharing experiences with each other. And sometimes that’ll drive towards a topic or it might drive towards a feeling of a type of vibe when we start writing. It always comes from a different inspiration, but it really comes from like a collective… We get to the point where we’re excited to just try new things. And I think that’s really where Emily and Colin came in to that environment that we always have, and it was very natural for them to be part of it. So I would say a lot of that has to do with our friendship as well as the skills that we bring,” he said (as transcribed by Blabbermouth).
Shinoda echoed his bandmate’s sentiments, revealing that the initial goal wasn’t necessarily to launch a massive comeback or go on tour. The focus was simply on finding out if the creative spark was still there between the original members.
Once they realized the momentum was real, the new additions fit right in, bringing their own unique fan perspectives to the table.
“Yeah, I think that was — to Joe’s point, the chemistry, the dynamic, that was something that just kind of showed up over the course of days and then weeks, and it was the thing that drew us to them versus whatever other options we could have been thinking about. ‘Cause in the beginning of the new album, we weren’t necessarily thinking, like, ‘Okay, now we’re gonna restart the band and then we’re gonna go do shows.’ It was really just the question of, do we feel compelled to like get together and make stuff and be creative? And is it fun? Does it have energy that’ll go forward? And that was just between us, the original members. And then once that started happening and it was the first time there was real momentum, and then Emily and Colin came in separately and then together, and it all started happening. And part of it, the thing that’s so nice is they have their own versions of the story of how they relate to the band. Emily had some formative years of when she was learning to sing, [Linkin Park‘s debut album] Hybrid Theory was one of the albums that she was listening to a lot and how she sang ‘One Step Closer‘ and it was the first song she had ever really screamed on. And then Colin, even when we were in the studio working on this record, he sometimes would switch gears from producer mode or songwriter mode, he’d switch to fan mode, and I could see it happen. I’d just be playing something and I was, like, ‘Why is that exciting to you? Why is that a good part?’ And he could tap in to fan mode and be, like, ‘Yeah, the thing I like about Linkin Park is this thing.’ And so it was a really good asset to have in both cases.”
The fresh lineup was officially unveiled during a highly publicized live performance event in September 2024, where Armstrong and Brittain performed alongside Shinoda, Hahn, Brad Delson, and Dave “Phoenix” Farrell. The event also served as the launchpad for their lead single, “The Emptiness Machine,” and the official announcement of the From Zero era.
Linkin Park will go on European tour this spring and summer. The band will kick off the run on May 29 in Stockholm, Sweden, and continue through major stops in Germany, Austria, Spain, Italy, Belgium, and Switzerland.
Linkin Park 2026 European Tour Dates:
- May 29 – Stockholm, SWE @ 3Arena (with Clipse & Phantogram)
- June 01 – Hamburg, GER @ Volksparkstadion (with Clipse & Phantogram)
- June 03 – Hamburg, GER @ Volksparkstadion (with Clipse & Phantogram)
- June 05 – Nurburg, GER @ Rock am Ring
- June 07 – Nuremberg, GER @ Rock im Park
- June 09 – Vienna, AUT @ Ernst Happel Stadium (with Clipse & Phantogram)
- June 10 – Donington Park, UK @ Download Festival
- June 11 – Munich, GER @ Allianz Arena (with Clipse & Phantogram)
- June 12 – Munich, GER @ Allianz Arena (with Clipse & Phantogram)
- June 16 – Lyon, FRA @ Groupama Stadium (with Last Train & Phantogram)
- June 18 – Santiago de Compostela, SPA @ O Son Do Camino
- June 21 – Lisbon, POR @ Rock In Rio Lisboa
- June 23 – Madrid, SPA @ Auditorio Miguel Rios (with Clipse & Phantogram)
- June 24 – Madrid, SPA @ Auditorio Miguel Rios (with Clipse & Phantogram)
- June 26 – Florence, ITA @ Visarno Arena (with Clipse & Phantogram)
- June 28 – Werchter, BEL @ Werchter Parklife (with Clipse & Phantogram)
- June 30 – Zurich, SWI @ Stadion Letzigrund (with Clipse & Phantogram)
