Luke Bryan is revealing what he really thinks of Lady A, formerly known as Lady Antebellum, changing the band’s name.
The 44-year-old singer, who has toured with the group and has written music with some of its members, shared his thoughts on the Aug. 11 episode of Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen.
“I don’t think they were anticipating the aftermath of being called Lady A,” Bryan said. “I can say that, for years, everyone in the community, in the country music community, has really referred to them as Lady A.”
Bryan then said he “thought it was a great option for them to choose” but that “now it’s tricky.”
“Like I said, who knows what they’ll have to figure out,” he added. “But, god, what a mess in the aftermath of removing ‘antebellum.'”
On June 11, Hillary Scott, Charles Kelley and David Haywood announced their decision to drop the word “antebellum” from the band’s name and to move forward as “Lady A,” which they said was a nickname given to them by their fans “almost from the start.”
The country music stars expressed their regret and embarrassment over not considering the “associations that weigh down this word referencing the period of history before the Civil War, which includes slavery.” They also noted they “are deeply sorry for the hurt this has caused and for anyone who has felt unsafe, unseen or unvalued.”