Country singer Chely Wright comes out

A country singer who had a few hits in the genre in the 90s has come out of the closet.

Chely Wright was the Academy of Country Music’s Top New Female Vocalist eleven years ago, and she has an album (Lifted off the Ground) and a book (Like Me: Confessions of a Heartland Country Singer) hitting shelves Tuesday.

The lead up to her revelation has been massive, and the singer says:

“There had never, ever been a country music artist who had acknowledged his or her homosexuality. I wasn’t going to be the first.”

(Pssst, Chely- her name is k.d. lang and she was openly gay almost two decades ago.)

Reaction has been fairly cynical, mostly comprised of people pointing out the timing of the announcement- just a day ahead of both an album and book release for the singer. Wright will also be appearing on the Today Show tomorrow to discuss coming out and to plug her products.