Lady Antebellum have officially changed their name to Lady A. The band have dropped the word “Antebellum” from their name due to its link with slavery.
The band announced the decision on Instagram on Thursday, June 11.
“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. 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,” Lady A’s Dave Haywood, Charles Kelley and Hillary Scott said in a statement.
They added, “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.”
“Antebellum” is a word derived from the Latin phrase “ante bellum,” which literally means “before the war.”
Lady A promised to make a donation to the Equal Justice Initiative through their long-standing charitable organization Lady Aid.
“As a band, we have strived for our music to be a refuge … inclusive of all. We’ve watched and listened more than ever these last few weeks, and our hearts have been stirred with conviction, our eyes opened wide to the injustices, inequality and biases Black women and men have always faced and continue to face everyday. Now, blindspots we didn’t even know existed have been revealed,” Lady A continued.
They added, “We are deeply sorry for the hurt this has caused and for anyone who has felt unsafe, unseen or unvalued. 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.”
Lady A formed in 2006 and have released eight studio albums, the most recent being 2019’s Ocean.
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