Who is The Chicks singer Natalie Maines and what did she say about Trump?
SINGER Natalie Maines said on Monday that President Trump should be accused of “murder” for allegedly mishandling the coronavirus pandemic.
The Chick’s band member claimed “there is no leadership” in America on the Howard Stern Show.
Here is more about her statement on President Trump and his coronavirus response.
Who is Natalie Maines?
Maines, 45, is the lead singer of The Chicks, formerly known as the Dixie Chicks.
The Chicks have earned many accolades, including 10 Country Music Association Awards and 13 Grammy Awards for their work between 1998 and 2007.
Maines has also ventured out solo and released an album titled Mother in May of 2013.
The Chicks released their most recent album, GasLighter, in July of 2020.
It is said that the album was inspired in part by news stories about Trump’s propensity to distort reality.
What did Natalie say about coronavirus and Trump?
Maines was promoting her band’s new album on the Howard Stern Show when she addressed Trump’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.
“It’s unbelievable…. It is crazy that we have a leader that is – I mean, it’s murder,” she said.
“It’s second degree murder. He’s not having to physically kill people but his ignoring things and speaking complete lies, [Trump] retweeting that Chuck Woolery tweet, it’s unbelievable,” Maines added.
What other controversial things has Natalie said?
Maines also mentioned that she regrets not standing up to Harvey Weinstein as he screamed at the directors of the 2006 Dixie Chicks documentary Shut Up & Sing over the film’s ending.
The Chicks were in the room when Weinstein took Barbara Kopple and Cecilia Peck to task over the film’s climax, insisting he wanted a better ending.
“He was standing, screaming at them,” The Chicks’ Martie Maguire told The Guardian.
“We were all dumbfounded,” said Maguire.
Maines admits she will never forgive herself for not speaking out, saying: “It was one of the scariest meetings we’ve ever had.
“I really wish I could be back in that room and go listen, motherf****r, don’t you talk to our directors like that.”
“I know first-hand how scary that man can be.
“He was definitely getting off on belittling them, because it was completely unnecessary and abusive,” she added.
What happened with President Bush and The Chicks?
In 2003, The Chicks made a remark against President Bush and the Iraq invasion.
The band was on their Top of the World tour in England introducing their song Travelin’ Soldier.
Maines told the audience that the band did not support the upcoming Allied invasion of Iraq and were “ashamed” that President George W Bush was from Texas.
They received backlash in the US immediately after and were blacklisted by thousands of country radio stations.
The band members received death threats and Maines issued an apology, saying her remark had been disrespectful.
The backlash damaged sales of their music and sales of their next album and tour.
Why did they drop “Dixie” from their name?
As of June 2020, The Chicks decided to drop Dixie from their band name amid racial concerns.
The name Dixie refers to a nickname for southern states during the Confederacy.
MOST READ IN NEWS
It harks back to an era that glorified slavery and white supremacy.
The Chicks updated their social media handles and also released a new music video for their song, “March,” along with their new name.
Their first album in almost 14 years was released on Friday.