Intro
Originally, when I first listened to Kesha's song in my Foundation Arts Music class a few weeks ago, I was absolutely mesmerized. Visuals, lyrics, and the overall sound of the music captured me, making me wonder "What could she be referencing to?" Compared to a lot of her other most popular upbeat songs such as TiK ToK or Cannibal, Praying is more depressing, showing her journey. Another reason as to why I wanted to learn more about this song was because of the vocals in it. Personally, I was in theatre/drama for most of my school life- from 3rd grade to 8th- and I was so inspired at how she hit such a high note, (4:20 in the music video and 3:15 on music platforms) it was absolutely incredible. Not only are the vocals inspiring, but the background of the whole song is too, her journey to recover from what Dr. Luke had done to her. However, the most uplifting part of it is that she is not degrading him or any of the people who've hurt her, she's forgiving them. This is one of the most powerful pieces of music I've listened to.
Artist Background Kesha Rose Serbert was born on March 1st, 1987, in Los Angeles, California. Throughout her childhood, Kesha grew up around music as her mother was a songwriter for artists such as Dolly Parton and Joe Sun. As a result of her mother's career, Kesha was in a recording studio for a good portion of her adolescence, further pushing her towards a musical career. Kesha also went to a music school where she learned about songwriting.
Kesha left at 17 to pursue her musical career in LA with producer Dr. Luke, who had been previously recognized for works with famous artists such as Katy Perry and Kelly Clarkson. She had a few gigs as a vocalist but her breakthrough came in a cameo in Flo Rida's 2009 hit "Right Round." Soon after this breakthrough, she released her first single "TiK ToK" in 2010 that became a hit with millions of downloads and reaching the top of Billboard's pop charts in 2010. Following this hit, in 2012, she released the album "Warrior," which featured another popular song, "Die young." Song Introduction
Praying debuted in the album Rainbow in 2017. It tells the story of forgiveness and letting go of her past. It's a personal realization that she's OK and that not only she can grow from her experiences, but the people who hurt her can too. Although the song was not solely written by her, it still tells her story. Here are the lyrics to the song:
Well, you almost had me fooled
Told me that I was nothing without you Oh, but after everything you've done I can thank you for how strong I have become 'Cause you brought the flames and you put me through hell I had to learn how to fight for myself
And we both know all the truth I could tell I'll just say this is "I wish you farewell" I hope you're somewhere prayin', prayin' I hope your soul is changin', changin' I hope you find your peace Falling on your knees, prayin'
I'm proud of who I am No more monsters, I can breathe again And you said that I was done Well, you were wrong and now the best is yet to come 'Cause I can make it on my own, oh And I don't need you, I found a strength I've never known
I'll bring thunder, I'll bring rain, oh When I'm finished, they won't even know your name
You brought the flames and you put me through hell I had to learn how to fight for myself And we both know all the truth I could tell I'll just say this is "I wish you farewell" I hope you're somewhere prayin', prayin'
I hope your soul is changin', changin' I hope you find your peace Falling on your knees, prayin' Ah sometimes, I pray for you at night, oh Someday, maybe you'll see the light Whoa-oh, some say, in life, you're gonna get what you give But some things only God can forgive Yeah! (I hope you're somewhere prayin', prayin') I hope your soul is changin', changin' I hope you find your peace Falling on your knees, prayin' Song Analysis (In this portion I will be focusing more on the music video) The lyrics of the song are a direct reference to her troubles with Dr. Luke. As aforementioned, Kesha went to work with Luke at 17, but in 2014, she accused him of sexually assaulting her and abusing her for the 10 years she worked with him. She channeled all the raw emotion within her into this song.
The music video starts off with her talking in a painful voice, cracking, being hoarse, its pure pain. She speaks of wanting to end it all or hoping that God will free her from this. She also often asks God why she has been abandoned by people she loves and why does she have to be stranded. Visually, she is out the middle of a vast sea, laying on her back on what seems like debris. Her lyrics tell us how far her depression has pushed her-to suicidal thoughts.
Previously in her career, she was criticized for her songs about alcohol and drinking because of her younger audience. However, in Praying, she doesn't give any bad messages. She shows her healing process and how you shouldn't stay mad at the people you hate, you should pray for them.
“Praying” was written about that moment when the sun starts peeking through the darkest storm clouds, creating the most beautiful rainbow. Once you realize that you will in fact be OK, you want to spread love and healing. If you feel like someone has wronged you, get rid of that hate, because it will just create more negativity." Conclusion
This song is truly inspiring, it's her depressive journey and her recovery from the darkest spot in her life. And even though most people would be angry or resentful, she chose a different path. She chose to spread positivity and forgive them. She hopes they're doing well and she surprisingly thanks them for making her stronger. I'm also so glad that she spread awareness for artists and how even though they are popular, they still may be struggling with the same problems that you have.
Before listening to this song, if I was angry at someone, I might have insulted them and held a grudge. But after listening to this song, I'm now able to look at it from a different perspective: "They might be going through something right now and they're channeling their negative emotions to me. I shouldn't give them any more reasons to be negative, I should instead pray that they heal."
Works Cited
Biography.com Editors. “Kesha.” Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, 15 July 2020, www.biography.com/musician/kesha.
Santiago, Amanda Luz Henning. “Kesha Shared the Powerful Meaning behind Her First Single in 4 Years.” Business Insider, Business Insider, 7 July 2017, www.businessinsider.com/keshas-praying-has-powerful-meaning-2017-7.
Smf, and Jessica Shelton. “Meaning of ‘Praying’ by Kesha.” Song Meanings and Facts, 9 Sept. 2020, www.songmeaningsandfacts.com/meaning-praying-kesha/.
Unknown. “Kesha – Praying.” Genius, 6 July 2017, genius.com/Kesha-praying-lyrics.
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