Jaime Bennington, son of the late Linkin Park frontman Chester Bennington, recently released a statement to his Instagram explaining his decision to avoid performing his father’s music.
According to Jaime, he sees maintaining his own artistic identity as a way of honoring Chester’s memory.
“Out of a desire to maintain my own identity and out of a desire to allow his spirit to rest, I have refused to cover any of my father’s music,” Jaime said. “In life and in death.”
Jaime’s commitment to preserving his father’s musical legacy goes beyond his own artistic decisions. He has openly expressed his concerns about recent changes within Linkin Park.
Last year, Linkin Park announced their return with new vocalist Emily Armstrong in place of Chester – a decision which Jaime has been extremely critical of.
Jaime maintains that the band’s choice to continue on without his father is a blow to his legacy, especially because of Armstrong’s connection to the Church of Scientology.
In September 2024, he went as far as to accuse the band’s co-lead singer Mike Shinoda of “quietly eras[ing] my father’s life and legacy in real time.”
“You have betrayed the trust loaned to you by decades of fans and supporting human beings including myself,” Jaime said at the time. “We trusted you to be the bigger better person. To be the change. Because you promised us that was your intention. Now you’re just senile and tone deaf. […] I DO NOT SUPPORT.”
