Scott Hoying, PRAY | Beaming with Pride 🏳️‍🌈

In the 49th edition of Beaming with Pride 🏳️‍🌈 (2025), we highlight “PRAY,” performed by Grammy-winning pop singer-songwriter Scott Hoying. 

Prepare to beam with P-R-I-D-E 🏳️‍🌈! Beaming with Pride 🏳️‍🌈 celebrates, embraces, and spotlights songs by LGBTQ musicians or allies.  Here, we provide background and insight into musicians, analyze, plus go gaga over the decadent bops served up.  When songs dictate deeper and more transcendent discussion, we ensure the point is fully articulated.  All styles of music are welcome, whether the songs are classics or brand-new. So, without further ado, in the 49^th edition of Beaming with Pride 🏳️‍🌈 (2025), we highlight “PRAY”, performed by Scott Hoying.

“But hey, have a little faith (Faith) / The pain’ll go away,” Scott Hoying sings on his 2025 single, “PRAY”. Pain is a hard thing to eradicate, with emotionally and psychologically charged pain being harder to overcome than physical pain in some respects. The Grammy winner asserts in the pre-chorus, “Even if it’s one step, two steps, three steps back / Maybe back’s the new on-track / Betcha didn’t think of that.” Can’t say that I have, Scott… Hoying and Toby Gad wrote and produced “PRAY”. As always, Scott is beastly on the vocals, showing off his beautiful, nuanced pipes. He also shows off ample personality in this thoughtfully written anthem that encourages living your truth. The gospel-infused pop musical backdrop doesn’t hurt either.  Let all the gays rise to their feet and say, YASSS 🙌!

“I tried to pray (Pray) / Pray, pray, pray / But it only got stronger / Makin’ me wonder, what’s goin’ on here.” Hmm, what was Scott praying for, pray tell? He was praying the gay away… Ugh 😤.  Unfortunately, Hoying was a victim of that horrible thing called conversion therapy, which does substantial harm and no good.  As Hoying sings in the chorus, the therapy was a failure, and instead of becoming heterosexual, he remained or became even more gay 🌈. He continues singing, “I can’t wait for that day / When love can be free, and I can be me / Now that can be my version of therapy.” You better preach, Scotty! If you cannot be who you are meant to be, that makes for a miserable life. Life is fleeting, so who wants to feel trapped in a false narrative or repress who they are? Hoying provides more ear-catching lyrics. “Like my daddy said, ‘Toughen up’ / Rub some dirt in it, life gets rough,” he sings, adding, “One shot / Don’t go waste it on silly dreams / Like being what you ain’t supposed to be / ‘Cause hey, you gotta find your way (Which way?) / That’s why you gotta pray.” Amen… to being true to yourself and not living lies – be you, boo!  One of the best moments comes in the outro, where Hoying asserts, “Everything turned out alright / ‘Cause I found the love of my life / We took a strut down the aisle / And we feelin’ perfectly fine.” Scott Hoying has delivered a hymn that the LGBTQ+ community and allies can get behind. Now, if we could only get everybody onboard with the prayers of “PRAY”, that would totally – wait for it – SLAY 💅!