Country trio Lady Antebellum announced Thursday it is officially rebranding with its longtime nickname, Lady A.
The group, which formed in 2006 and consists of Hilary Scott, Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood, came up with the name after doing a photo shoot at antebellum-style houses.
"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.
“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,” Lady A said, in a statement. “Now, blindspots we didn’t even know existed have been revealed.
"After much personal reflection, band discussion, prayer and many honest conversations with some of our closest Black friends and colleagues, we have decided to drop the word 'antebellum' from our name and move forward as Lady A, the nickname our fans gave us almost from the start.”
The trio said the name was intended to reflect its members’ musical influences from the South. “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,” they explained.
“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.”
Read the full statement from Lady A below: