Country band Lady Antebellum is taking the “Antebellum” out of their name and sticking with Lady A because the word references a time period in history before the Civil War where slavery was at its peak.
What We Know
- The five-time Grammy-winning country band Lady Antebellum known for hit songs like “Need You Now” and “Bartender” is now Lady A after making the decision to take the “Antebellum” portion out because it’s associated with a time period where slavery was at its peak.
- The announcement was made through a long Instagram post on Thursday and they explained that the decision was made after “much personal reflection, band discussion, prayer and many honest conversations with some of our closest Black friends and colleagues” they have decided to change their group name from Lady Antebellum to Lady A, which is a nickname given to them by fans.
- In the post, they apologized to their fans for not recognizing the associations with the word and apologized for making anyone feel “unsafe, unseen, or unvalued.”
“When we set out together almost 14 years ago, we named our band after the southern “antebellum” style home where we took our first photos,” they said. “As musicians, it reminded us of all the music born in the south that influenced us…southern rock, blues, R&B, gospel and of course country. But we are regretful and embarrassed to say that we did not take into account the associations that weigh down this word referring to the period of history before the civil war, which includes slavery.”
- “We are deeply sorry for the hurt this has caused…causing pain was never our hearts’ intention, but it doesn’t change the fact that indeed, it did just that, so today, we speak up and make a change. We hope you will dig in and join us.”
- A lot of Lady A’s fans are disappointed with the band’s decision calling it unnecessary, while others are supportive of their decision.
Along with the removal of “Antebellum” from their name, Lady A is donating to the Equal Justice Initiative through LadyAID, which was made by the country band in 2012 to help children in need all around the world.
