The country trio formerly known as Lady Antebellum said Monday they reached out to blues singer Lady A about their decision to adopt the same name.
“Today, we connected privately with the artist Lady A,” they shared in an Instagram post. “Transparent, honest, and authentic conversations were had.
“We are excited to share we are moving forward with positive solutions and common ground. The hurt is turning into hope. More to come.”
Hillary Scott, Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood announced last week they were rebranding with the group’s longtime nickname, Lady A.
"Antebellum" comes from the Latin phrase "before the war" and is closely associated with the period in U.S. history leading up to the Civil War, when slavery was common.
MORE: Lady Antebellum Rebrands As Lady A
In a statement, the band said: “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.”
Following the news, singer Lady A (aka Anita White) told Rolling Stone it should not have taken the death of George Floyd “for them to realize that their name had a slave reference to it.” She added: “This is my life. Lady A is my brand, I've used it for over 20 years, and I'm proud of what I've done.”