AceShowbiz - Gay country star Chely Wright considered taking her own life after personal conflicts over her sexuality led to a "meltdown". The singer 'came out' as a lesbian this week, announcing the news in an interview with People magazine.

Wright admits she felt pressured to keep her sexuality a secret throughout her career, and her internal struggles reached boiling point after an emotional conversation with fellow country star John Rich. She tells Access Hollywood, "He said, 'You're not gay are you?' I said, 'No, John, I'm not.' He said, 'Good, thank God.' And that began a spiral for me. I had a meltdown shortly after that."

The "Shut Up and Drive" singer, 39, reveals she suffered an emotional breakdown in 2006 which led to her standing in front of a mirror with a loaded gun - but a last-minute change of heart saved her from suicide. She explains, "I was looking at myself in a mirror... as I was about to do it. I just looked at myself and something snapped and I started to cry... and I realized I have too much to live for."

"I may lose my career in country music (by 'coming out'), that will break my heart, but it's okay. I have a lot of different pieces of my heart that matter and that's what I've come to learn."