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2017
Praying" is a song by American singer and songwriter Kesha. It was made available for digital download by Kemosabe Records on July 6, 2017 as the lead single from her third studio album, Rainbow. The track originated from Ryan Lewis, who contacted Kesha and offered her an early version of the song. "Praying" was written by the singer with Ben Abraham, Andrew Joslyn, and its producer, Lewis, and co-produced by Jon Castelli. Musically, the song is a gospel and soul-influenced pop piano ballad that features minimal production and accompaniment from violins, violas, strings, celli, backing vocals and drums. Inspired by suicidal thoughts she has had in the past, Kesha said that "Praying" is about hoping that anyone, even abusers, can heal. "Praying" was written to showcase the singer's vocal range and to represent her as a person, and also features her nearly screaming at the top of her register.

"Praying"
Kesha with various colors painted on her face and neck
Single by Kesha
from the album Rainbow
Released
July 6, 2017
Genre
Pop
Length
3:50
Label
KemosabeRCA
Songwriter(s)
Kesha SebertAndrew JoslynBen AbrahamRyan Lewis
Producer(s)
Jon CastelliRyan Lewis
Kesha singles chronology
"True Colors"
(2016) "Praying"
(2017) "Good Old Days"
(2017)

Music video
"Praying" on YouTube
"Praying" received universal acclaim from music critics, who praised Kesha's vocals while calling the song powerful and noting it as a departure from her previous efforts. Commentators offered conflicting interpretations of the song's message; some felt that "Praying" was about forgiveness, while others thought that Kesha displayed anger on the track. Commercially, "Praying" reached number six in Australia as well as the top 20 in Canada, Hungary and Scotland, and the top 30 in Ireland, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States. It was also certified at least Platinum in the latter, Australia and Canada. "Praying" was nominated for Best Pop Solo Performance at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards.

An accompanying music video for "Praying" was directed by Jonas Åkerlund and was released simultaneously with the single. It features Kesha at Salvation Mountain along with various religious symbolism, both Christian and Hindu. The clip received a generally positive response from critics, and was often compared to Beyoncé's visual album Lemonade (2016). To promote the song, Kesha performed it live on multiple occasions, including her Rainbow Tour (2017–2019), at the 2017 iHeartRadio Music Festival, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Good Morning America, and the 60th Annual Grammy Awards. Critics praised Kesha's live performances.

Background and release
edit
Shot of a man standing beyond his turntables.
Ryan Lewis (pictured) co-wrote and produced "Praying".[1]
From July to October 2016, Kesha embarked on her third world tour, Kesha and the Creepies: Fuck the World Tour, where she performed various cover versions of songs and several rock and country reworkings of her own material.[2][3] During this time, the singer wrote multiple songs for what would become her third studio album Rainbow (2017).[4][5][6][7] Producer Ryan Lewis began working on the lyrics and production of "Praying" while he was on tour over a year before its release. He felt that the ballad would be suitable for a female artist, with his wife suggesting that Kesha should sing it. Lewis subsequently contacted the singer's management and Kesha later accepted the offer due to her fondness for his work with Macklemore, particularly admiring how their discography featured a mix of "fun" and politically progressive songs. Lewis came to Kesha with a "rough idea" for the song and encouraged her to do whatever she wanted on the track. When she belted out a whistle note, she surprised him; Lewis later said it was one of his favorite moments to occur in a studio. "Praying" was completed two days after Kesha began working on it. Lewis said that his ambitions when writing the song were to showcase the singer's vocal range and represent her as a person, eventually feeling that the finished track accomplished both goals.[8]

In a radio interview with Sirius XM, Kesha revealed that "Praying" deals with her past suicidal thoughts. On the same occasion, she said that she feels it is healthy to discuss such emotions, and that "[she] think[s] the beautiful part is that you hold onto hope [...] and you keep showing up for yourself."[9] Prior to its release, the singer premiered "Praying" and four other songs from Rainbow at a press playback in London. There, she expressed her feelings about the song, saying: "I've never been more excited about a piece of art I've ever done in my entire life. This is truly from the inside of my guts."[10] Kesha later announced the single's release in a video aimed at her fans.[11] In an accompanying letter posted to Lena Dunham's feminist blog Lenny Letter, she wrote about the meaning of the track: "