The Chicks Say Lady A’s Name Change Was ‘the Right Move’
Within a couple of weeks of each other, both Lady A (formerly Lady Antebellum) and the Chicks (formerly the Dixie Chicks) dropped racism-tied words from their band names. While both trios were lauded for their decisions, Lady A have since faced sharp criticism because their new name, a long-used nickname, has been the moniker of a Black blues artist, Anita White, for more than two decades.
While talks between the former Lady Antebellum and White at first appeared to be going well, the band recently filed a lawsuit regarding their rights to the name, after White asked for $10 million to rebrand herself and donate to Black-focused charities. In a new interview on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen, the Chicks explain that while they applaud Lady A's decision to change their name, what's happened since has been "awkward" to watch.
"I think it was good ... I think it was the right move," Chicks lead singer Natalie Maines says of Lady A's name change. However, she adds, "I think it's been very awkward and uncomfortable to have this whole lawsuit, and it's kind of going against the point of changing their name."
The Chicks, too, share their new name with another act, a sister duo from New Zealand. When they initially announced their name change, Maines, Martie Maguire and Emily Strayer noted that the original Chicks had given the trio their blessing to use the moniker.
The Chicks released their first new album in 14 years, Gaslighter, on July 17.
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