Lady A, the Seattle-based soul singer who is being sued by Lady A(ntebellum) is speaking out about why she demanded $10 million from the country group.
In case you missed it, Lady A(ntebellum) had an awakening during the George Floyd protests and decided to drop “antebellum” from their name because of its connection to slavery.
So, they decided to change their name to Lady A, real name Anita White, despite the fact that the name already belonged to a soul singer who has been performing under the name for over 20 years.
The group and soul singer appeared to have come to an understanding about the use of the name and how they could co-exist.
But, things quickly went left when the group’s attorney sent Lady A some legal docs she “was not happy about.”
Lady A, in turn, demanded $10 million from the country group for the use of the name and they sued her.
In an interview with Vulture, the real Lady A said she asked for $10 million because she planned to use $5 million of the money for rebranding and to sustain herself while doing so.
She also planned to donate the other $5 million to charities and organizations that support the black community.
Via Vulture writer Andrea Williams:
White says that it was simply a request for the necessary resources to support herself and, perhaps more importantly, the entire Black community.
Her plan, she told me, was to use $5 million to rebrand, to start over as an artist with more than 20 years in the game — but without the high-powered label and management machine of a Lady Antebellum.
The other $5 million was to be donated to the charities of her choice, including organizations that provide support to other independent Black artists. I was quiet for two weeks because I was trying to believe that it was going to be okay and that they would realize that it would be easier to just change their name, or pay me for my name.
Five million dollars is nothing, and I’m actually worth more than that, regardless of what they think. But here we go again with another white person trying to take something from a Black person, even though they say they’re trying to help.
If you want to be an advocate or an ally, you help those who you’re oppressing. And that might require you to give up something because I am not going to be erased.
Lady A(ntebellum) has had a trademark on the name since 2011 although Anita White has been using the name since 2010.
I would suggest Lady A(ntebellum) find a new name because the “A” still stands for “antebellum” and everyone knows it.
What are your thoughts on this?
