| "Praying" | ||||
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| Single by Kesha | ||||
| from the album Rainbow | ||||
| Released | July 6, 2017 | |||
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| Genre | Pop | |||
| Length | 3:50 | |||
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| Kesha singles chronology | ||||
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| "Praying" on YouTube | ||||
"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" 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 the top ten in Australia, the top 20 in Canada, Hungary and Scotland, and the top 30 in Ireland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. It was certified 5× platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for selling five million equivalent units in the United States. "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.