Country music legends The Dixie Chicks have changed their name and ditched 'Dixie' because of racial connotations.
Musicians Natalie Maines, Emily Strayer and Martie Maguire confirmed the news that they will be known in future as The Chicks, when revealing details of latest single, March March.
"We want to meet the moment," the band said on its website, without further explanation.
A US journalist recently claimed the word Dixie related to the slavery era of America, reports the Daily Star.
He said: "Dixie, for the record, is the epitome of white America, a celebration of a Southern tradition that is indivisible from Black slaves and those grand plantations where they were forced to toil for free."
A statement released by the 13 times Grammy Award-winning group said: "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 honoured to co-exist together in the world with these exceptionally talented sisters. Chicks Rock!"
The band has since updated social media accounts, website and YouTube channel with the new name.
Video for The Chicks' latest release, March March, appears to feature images from Black Lives Matter and LGBT protests, images of Greta Thunberg and Malala Yousafzai, and lyrics addressing power, silence and voting.
The Chicks' caused controversy in their homeland when they publicly denounced former US president George W Bush before the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
Natalie Maines said they were "ashamed" of Mr Bush, leading to a boycott of their music.
The Texan trio's move follows country music counterparts Lady Antebellum who revealed earlier this month they had also changed to name to Lady A.
Antebellum means before the war and the term has been widely associated with the pre-Civil War period in the United States when slavery was practised.
