On Thursday, iconic country group, the Dixie Chicks, gave their fans some exciting surprises. Not only did they drop a single, “Gaslighter,” but as well as a music video to accompany the song. The biggest news, however, is that the trio of ladies will also be releasing a whole studio album, by the same name, in May of this year. The word of new music by the country trio spread quickly, with the band’s name promptly trending on Twitter.
The song and album come after a 14-year musical hiatus by the group, their latest work being from their 2006 album, Taking the Long Way. The album received critical acclaim, even rounding up a few Grammys in the process. Despite the success with critics, ticket sales suffered for the album’s tour, as the country music world wasn’t ready to forgive the Dixie Chicks. Before that, the group had gone on a four-year hiatus after a controversial moment by the lead singer, Natalie Maines, at a 2003 London show.
Maines made some comments at the beginning of the show, criticizing the U.S. President at the time, George W. Bush, and their home country’s involvement in the Iraq war. The singer even went so far as to say that the group was ashamed the then-president shared their home state of Texas. The news of the criticism spread like wildfire in the country music scene, with many fans and supporters quickly boycotting the group’s music. Considering the core audience of country music share conservative values and the comments came two years after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the once-popular trio struggled for airplay on country radio. In the short time following the incidents, the group was eventually blackballed by the industry, losing sponsorships and their places on music charts. Fellow country superstars at the time, such as Toby Keith and Reba McEntire, added to the flames by speaking out against the three women, while other artists kept mute in the group’s defense. Before the controversy, the Dixie Chicks were one of the biggest country stars, seeing momentous success for their first three albums, all performing well commercially and critically.
The comeback has seemed long overdue to fans, as the group has made surprising appearances on songs by two of today’s biggest pop stars, Beyoncé and Taylor Swift. The duo even performed with Beyoncé at the CMA awards in 2018, in front of the crowd that had turned their backs on them years earlier. This appearance served as a reminder that the Dixie Chicks weren’t gone from the music scene and caused fans to reminisce about the trio’s glory days. Since the release of their newest single, it appears that the masses are prepared for a Dixie Chicks comeback. The group has yet to release track names for the album, besides the single that shares the albums name, Gaslighter. Although it’s too early to predict the concept of the album, the single discusses a relationship with a troubling partner who has manipulative tendencies. The album cover sports what appears to be three beauty pageant contestants, possibly representing the three members of the group. Although the lack of track names hides the overall concept, fans are still showing their support and are excited for more details on the album to come! Fans are also excited to see Jack Antonoff’s involvement in the album, as he has collaborated with many of today’s favorite artists, including Lana Del Rey. Check out the new single’s music video here!
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