Dixie Chicks have rebooted their band name, dropping “Dixie” and becoming, simply, The Chicks.
What happened:
Dixie Chicks revealed it had changed its name to The Chicks while announcing a new song called “March March.”
The band changed its upcoming album cover — titled “Gaslighter” — to include the new name.
The band’s Instagram page now reflects the new name.
A representative from The Chicks sent Pitchfork a statement:
A sincere and heartfelt thank you goes out to The Chicks of NZ for their gracious gesture in allowing us to share their name. We are honored to co-exist together in the world with these exceptionally talented sisters. Chicks Rock!
“Dixie” has often been linked to South and Southern culture, and derives from the Mason-Dixon line — which was used as a border between Northern and Southern states.
Why it’s relevant now
- Lady Antebellum announced it had switched its name to “Lady A” since it wanted to distance itself since the term Antebellum ties to slavery and the Civil War, as I reported for the Deseret News.
As a band, we have strived for our music to be a refuge … inclusive of all. We’ve watched and listened more than ever these last few weeks, and our hearts have been stirred with conviction, our eyes opened wide to the injustices, inequality and biases Black women and men have always faced and continue to face everyday. Now, blindspots we didn’t even know existed have been revealed.