Words: Candies Liu
Photography: Sean Hartgrove
Chester Bennington is the driving force behind Linkin Park,
one of the most innovative bands in modern rock ‘n’ roll history,
skyrocketing him into stardom as one of the world’s most
recognized and beloved rockstars. His love for music started at
an early age and his artistic brilliance and raw talent manifested
itself into more than just music. Both Chester and the other
members of Linkin Park have revolutionized music to the core,
creating depth in the listener experience that transcends beyond
the power of music, which in it of itself, is vastly profound. With
their music, there’s always a message to be heard.
Music has always played an important role in Chester’s life. His
siblings would record him singing at an early age. He references
Depeche Mode as a great musical influence. “They were one of
my first real loves in terms of bands,” he recalls. In high school,
he discovered his love for musical theater. “I had my eyes set on
the stage. I wanted to make it on Broadway,” he remembers. It
helped him discover the diversity in his vocals, as he reenacted
various characters’ voices. It was also when he discovered that
he could sing. His voice was the instrument that quickly made
his dreams come true, taking him on the road to success. It’s
the voice that we’ve all become familiar with as Linkin Park fans,
taking us through the good times and bad, resonating with each
of us in our own way throughout the years.
Although Bennington has never had any formal vocal training, he
tried piano lessons for a brief period. Ironically, his piano teacher
told him that one day, he would be playing the piano in front of
millions of people. He also remembers singing The Doors songs
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