Kesha made her official return to the music scene on Thursday with the release of "Praying," her first single in nearly four years. In a post for Lenny Letter, the singer writes, "This song is about coming to feel empathy for someone else even if they hurt you or scare you. It's a song about learning to be proud of the person you are even during low moments when you feel alone. It's also about hoping everyone, even someone who hurt you, can heal." She continues, "This song is about me finding peace in the fact that I cant control everything–because trying to control everything was killing me. It's about learning to let go and realize that the universe is in control of my fate, not me."
Kesha also revealed more details about her upcoming third studio album, Rainbow, which will be her first full-length release since 2012's Warrior. "This is just the beginning. I am so happy and grateful to begin sharing all the music I have been writing with the world. I've written a record that reveals my vulnerabilities, and I have found strength in that," she writes in Lenny Letter. "In the past, I've always felt like I was trying to prove something, trying to be someone I thought people wanted me to be, but on this record, I'm just telling the truth about my life. This album is me. The most raw and real art I have ever created, and now it's my gift to you. I hope you love it."
As Billboard points out, it's unclear what legal steps Kesha had to take to record "Praying" and her new album, as her legal battle with Dr. Luke continues. In April, Dr. Luke was stripped of his CEO duties at Kemosabe Records, which he founded under Sony, according to court papers retrieved by Variety.
"Praying" starts as a ballad before picking things up in the third act to finish as a power anthem. The song contains some strong lyrics that serve as commentary to Kesha overcoming personal battles, including anxiety, depression, an eating disorder, and what she describes in Lenny Letter, "all the other basic bullshit that comes with being a human being."
Here are the lyrics, via Genius:
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 praying, praying
I hope your soul is changing, changing
I hope you find your peace
Falling on your knees, praying
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
And I don't need you, I found a strength I've never known
I've been thrown out, I've been burned
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 praying, praying
I hope your soul is changing, changing
I hope you find your peace
Falling on your knees, praying
Oh, sometimes, I pray for you at night
Someday, maybe you'll see the light
Oh, sometime, in life, you're gonna get what you give
But some things, only God can forgive
I hope you're somewhere praying, praying
I hope your soul is changing, changing
I hope you find your peace
Falling on your knees, praying
Rainbow will drop Aug. 11.
