‘Glee’ Stars Collaborate to Complete Naya Rivera’s Unfinished Song, ‘Prayer for the Broken’, Three Years After Her Passing
Glee stars Kevin McHale, Jenna Ushkowitz, Heather Morris, and Amber Riley unite to lend their voices as background vocalists on the heartfelt and poignant song Prayer for the Broken by the late Naya Rivera, honoring her legacy three years after her passing
Naya Rivera Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images
Former stars of Glee joined together to honor the late Naya Rivera and complete a song she recorded over ten years ago.
Rivera, who tragically passed away in 2020 at the age of 33, initially recorded "Prayer for the Broken" in 2012. The song was left unfinished, but former Glee cast members Kevin McHale, Jenna Ushkowitz, Amber Riley, Heather Morris, Vanessa Lengies, and Ashley Fink contributed background vocals to complete the track. "Prayer for the Broken," penned by Lindy Robbins and Isaac Hasson, is now available for purchase and streaming, with all proceeds going to benefit Alexandria House.
Every Christmas since her passing, the Glee family has paid tribute to Rivera's legacy with the Annual Snixxmas Charity Fundraiser, named in honor of Rivera's iconic holiday gatherings. Former Glee stars unite each December to raise funds for Alexandria House, an organization that Rivera ardently supported, providing housing for women and children.
During the Friday, December 1st episode of iHeartMedia's "And That's What You REALLY Missed" podcast, McHale and Ushkowitz shared that the annual Snixxmas event has generated almost $250,000 for Alexandra House since its inception.
"We are excited to release an unreleased song that Naya recorded as part of her solo music back in 2012," said Ushkowitz, 37. "With the approval of the songwriters and Naya's mother, Yolanda, we want to share her incredible vocals and amazing talents with all of you."
McHale, 35, revealed that he had been holding onto an unfinished version of the track for some time. "Hearing Naya's voice in this way is what inspired this release," he said. "I had this demo from Naya in 2012, and I remember when she played it for me. It was clear that Naya was a remarkable singer. Her voice had the power to evoke emotions, make you want to dance, and just captivate you. It was yet another display of her talent beyond her role on Glee."
Kevin McHale and Jenna Ushkowitz David Becker/Getty Images for iHeartRadio
The song ultimately was never released, but it held great significance for McHale, especially after Naya's passing. Her friends and family wanted to release more of her work, knowing it would mean a lot to others as well.
Last year, McHale exclusively told We that Rivera’s death led to healing among the surviving Glee cast members. (The musical comedy aired on Fox from 2009 to 2015.)
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In October 2022, McHale shared, "Everyone was feeling so emotionally raw and asking, ‘How is this happening? Why is this happening?’ Let’s discuss it. Let’s talk about everything. … It was really great that everyone could find a safe and open space to have these conversations."
“[Cory] did bring us together, but we were still focused on the show,” Ushkowitz said. “There was a lot at stake - jobs, livelihoods. After Naya passed, we had the time to step back from the show, process, and truly sit with our feelings. It was a much-needed opportunity for reflection.”
