Lady Antebellum announced that they've dropped "Antebellum" from their name and will now go by "Lady A," a nickname they've gone by for years.
In a statement on the group's social media, they explained the name change, saying, "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 prefaced the name change by noting that they've "watched and listened more than ever these past few weeks" and their eyes have been "opened wide to the injustices, inequality and biases black women and men have always faced and continue to face every day."
Hillary Scott, Charles Kelley, and Dave Haywood originally named their band after the "Southern 'Antebellum' style home" where they took their first photos, without consideration that the word is associated with the pre-Civil War era in the American South that includes slavery.
They continued, "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. We understand that many of you may ask the question 'Why have you not made this change until now?' The answer is that we can make no excuse for our lateness to this realization. What we can do is acknowledge it, turn from it and take action."