Editing Chely Wright (section)

===1993–1996: Beginnings at PolyGram and the rise to success===
Wright was signed to a publishing deal as a songwriter, which helped secure a recording contract as a recording artist with [[PolyGram]]/[[Mercury Records]] in 1993.<ref name="Allmusic"/> Wright chose to keep her sexuality hidden from her record label and buying public, a theme which continued throughout her commercial career.{{sfn|Wright, Chely|2010|p=152-53}} She collaborated on her first album with Nashville producer, [[Harold Shedd]]. In a mutual agreement, Shedd agreed that Wright's persona would not be centered around being "a [music] video babe," but instead regarded for her artistic work as a country music artist.{{sfn|Wright, Chely|2010|p=88}} In 1994, Wright's debut studio album was released through the label titled ''[[Woman in the Moon (album)|Woman in the Moon]].'' The album would receive critical acclaim, despite limited success.<ref name="Allmusic"/> The project spawned three singles ("He's a Good Ole Boy," "Till I Was Loved by You" and "Sea of Cowboy Hats") that all peaked outside the top 40 of the ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' country chart.<ref name="Billboard Singles">{{cite book |last=Whitburn |first=Joel |title=Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008 |publisher=Record Research, Inc. |year=2008 |isbn=978-0-89820-177-2}}</ref> The album helped Wright win Top New Female Vocalist at the 1995 [[Academy of Country Music Awards]]. Wright recalled in her memoir that she had low expectations of winning and was shocked to receive the accolade. "I had not prepared a speech for that night, but I'd been rehearsing one since I was a little girl," she commented.{{sfn|Wright, Chely|2010|p=98}}

In 1996, Wright released her second album titled ''[[Right in the Middle of It]].''<ref name="Allmusic"/> According to Wright, songs for the project were chosen carefully, even if they strayed from a traditional country sound. The album was produced by Ed Seay, along with Harold Shedd. At the time of its release, PolyGram/Mercury was hopeful of its success. The album had sold 42,000 copies in its initial release and its first music video had regular airtime on [[Country Music Television]].<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Evans Price |first1=Deborah |title=Chely Wright's 'In the Middle of It' |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |date=November 25, 1995 |volume=107 |issue=47 |pages=59–61 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Pw0EAAAAMBAJ&q=chely+wright+woman+in+the+moon+received+critical+acclaim&pg=PA59 |access-date=January 31, 2021}}</ref> Yet, the album was unsuccessful.<ref name="Allmusic"/> Only two of its three singles charted on the ''Billboard'' country chart. Its highest-peaking single was 1996's "The Love That We Lost," which reached the top 50.<ref name="Billboard Singles"/> ''Right in the Middle of It'' received acclaim from critics. [[Allmusic]]'s Charlotte Dillon rated the project at four and a half stars, praising Wright's vocals and the album's mix of material.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Dillon |first1=Charlotte |title=''Right in the Middle of It'': Chely Wright: Songs, Reviews, Credits |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/right-in-the-middle-of-it-mw0000183232 |website=[[Allmusic]] |access-date=January 31, 2021}}</ref> With her lack of success, Wright was given permission to leave her contract with PolyGram/Mercury and she began exploring new options for commercial stardom.<ref name="CNN"/>