Lady Antebellum Is Suing the Original ‘Lady A’ & People Are Livid
It was only a few weeks ago that the artists formerly known as Lady Antebellum decided they would henceforth be known as Lady A. Though the country band had been receiving backlash for their name since their inception, recent events seemed to prompt them to change it. Now, they have chosen to sue Blues artist, Anita White, who has been performing under the stage name Lady A for over 20 years.
But what prompted Lady Antebellum to change their name to begin with? People have always taken issues with the name as it references the Antebellum South. The Antebellum era (also known as the plantation era) was the period of history in the U.S. South where slavery was commonplace, accepted, and celebrated. On June 11, after 14 years, Lady Antebellum chose to change their name to the nickname that fans gave them early on in their career.
Lady Antebellum wasn’t the only group to do a name change
Of course, Lady Antebellum wasn’t the only country band to change their name in light of recent events. After further consideration, The Dixie Chicks announced that from here on out they would be known simply as “The Chicks.” As Dixie is a nickname for the American South, particularly those states who formed the Confederate States of America, The Chicks felt it prudent to drop the first part of their name.
But, while Lady Antebellum has allegedly committed themselves to making better decisions in the future, they seemed to have committed a major faux pas less than a month after they changed their name. On June 8, 2020, the band released a statement to CBS News stating their intention to sue the original Lady A.
Lady Antebellum announced they’re suing Lady A
“Today we are sad to share that our sincere hope to join together with Anita White in unity and common purpose has ended. She and her team have demanded a $10 million payment, so reluctantly we have come to the conclusion that we need to ask a court to affirm our right to continue to use the name Lady A, a trademark we have held for many years,” the artists formerly known as Lady Antebellum shared.
The band continued on to share that they would not seek to prevent the Blues singer from using the name Lady A now on in the future. “We never even entertained the idea that she shouldn’t also be able to use the name Lady A, and never will – today’s action doesn’t change that,” the “Need You Now” singers shared.
People express outrage on Twitter and Instagram
But, fans and critics alike were not appeased by Lady Antebellum’s claims. Instead, many people felt outraged by the band suing Lady A. Their social media pages are filled with people expressing their discontent. “How dare y’all sue a Black woman after she’s been using Lady A for years while you changed your name just like a week or two ago? You guys need to do your research beforehand,” one person declared on Instagram.
“Do you all think that changing your name, and then suing a woman that has been using your new name for over 20 years is a good way to demonstrate your progression? This is performative white privilege and YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED! Stop throwing your white power around against the Black community,” another person wrote after finding out about the band formerly known as Lady Antebellum’s lawsuit.
Will the ‘Champagne Night’ singers respond to the backlash?
“Suing a Black artist whose name you adopted as your own. Go back to Lady Antebellum, feels more appropriate since you want to step all over Black people and steal from them,” another outraged Instagram user penned. Clearly, people have not been pleased with the band’s choices as of late. Only time will tell if they respond to the most recent backlash.
