The cast of Glee has the best early Christmas gift for fans this year: a previously unreleased song sung by the late Naya Rivera, out now on streaming services.
Titled “Prayer for the Broken,” the posthumous record – which Rivera recorded in 2012 – arrived Friday (Dec. 1) as a special bonus for this year’s Snixxmas, an annual charity event hosted by Rivera’s friends and former co-stars Kevin McHale and Jenna Ushkowitz. The fundraiser, which has been held every year since the Sorry Not Sorry author died in 2020, benefits Alexandria House in L.A., an organization Rivera supported that provides shelter and vital services to women and children in need.
Produced by Isaac Hasson, who co-wrote the ballad with Lindy Robbins, “Prayer for the Broken” finds Rivera’s striking voice soaring over piano and ethereal background vocals provided by her Glee castmates McHale, Ushkowitz, Amber Riley, Heather Morris, Vanessa Lengies and Ashley Fink, according to Variety. The cover art is a simple but stunning headshot of the “Sorry” singer.
McHale and Ushkowitz unveiled this year’s Snixxmas surprise with help from E!’s Keltie Knight, who interviewed the And That’s What You REALLY Missed podcast co-hosts for E! News. “We wanted to do something to honor her, [and] put out something positive from such a horrible, horrible event,” McHale said of their annual fundraiser.
The pair went on to explain that they got special permission to release “Prayer for the Broken” in Rivera’s honor. “It’s just a really special song now that we’ll have, and that more importantly the fans will have, to be able to hear her voice again,” added Ushkowitz.
Rivera, who was best known for playing Santana Lopez on Ryan Murphy’s famed high-school musical dramedy series, died at 33 in June 2020 in an accidental drowning at Lake Piru, Calif. She was first reported missing after staff found her then 4-year-old son Josey sleeping alone on a boat she’d rented but never returned. After a days-long search, her body was found and recovered from the lake.
Stream “Prayer for the Broken” by Naya Rivera featuring her friends from Glee below:
