Pushing It Down and Praying
| "Pushing It Down and Praying" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Lizzy McAlpine | ||||
| from the album Older (and Wiser) | ||||
| Released | September 20, 2024 | |||
| Studio | Electric Lady Studios | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 3:54 | |||
| Label | RCA | |||
| Songwriter | Lizzy McAlpine | |||
| Producers |
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| Lizzy McAlpine singles chronology | ||||
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| Music video | ||||
| "Pushing It Down and Praying" on YouTube | ||||
"Pushing It Down and Praying" is a song by American singer Lizzy McAlpine, released on 16 February 2024 as the lead single from Older (and Wiser), the deluxe edition of her third studio album Older (2024). She wrote the song alongside its producer Mason Stoops.
Composition
"Pushing It Down and Praying" is an indie pop song.[1] It begins as an acoustic track,[2] before suddenly transitioning to a soft rock sound halfway through the song during the second verse, with an electric guitar and beat.[1][2] Lyrically, Lizzy McAlpine describes her inner conflict of pining for her former partner while being romantically involved with another person.[1][2][3] Although she is in a stable relationship with her current partner, she does not share a deep connection with him as she did with her previous one.[1][2] She yearns for clarity,[1] as her past relationship experiences hinder her enjoyment of her current relationship. In the chorus, McAlpine sings about wanting to feel guilty but finding herself unable to. She eventually suppresses her emotions from her partner.[2]
Critical reception
Clare Gehlich of Melodic wrote that McAlpine "beautifully captures" a "duality of guilt and confusion" in the song.[1] Raniel Santos praised the song's combination of different music styles, commenting "The drums are impactful while leaving space for the harder-sounding electric guitar and sweeter-sounding harmonies to meaningfully clash in the mix."[2]
Music video
The music video was released alongside the song. It was directed by Sweetiepie and Lizzy McAlpine,[3] who is seen standing before an audience.[1] The clip also features an appearance from singer-songwriter Role Model, who performs a dance sequence with her.[3]
Charts
Weekly charts
|
Year-end charts
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Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Canada (Music Canada)[11] | Platinum | 80,000‡ |
| New Zealand (RMNZ)[12] | Gold | 15,000‡ |
|
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
- ^ a b c d e f g Gehlich, Clare (September 21, 2024). "Lizzy McAlpine delivers a soft punch and soft hug on "Pushing It Down and Praying"". Melodic. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f Santos, Raniel (September 24, 2024). "Lizzy McAlpine releases suppressed emotion on 'Pushing it Down and Praying'". Earmilk. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
- ^ a b c Armstrong, Megan (September 24, 2024). "All The Best New Pop Music From This Week". Uproxx. Retrieved 20 December 2025.
- ^ "Billboard Canadian Hot 100: Week of December 20, 2025". Billboard. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
- ^ "Official Irish Singles Chart: 28 November 2025 – 4 December 2025". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
- ^ "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. September 27, 2024. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart on 9/1/2026 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 10, 2026.
- ^ "Bubbling Under Hot 100: Week of December 20, 2025". Billboard. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
- ^ "Hot Rock & Alternative Songs: Week of December 27, 2025". Billboard. Retrieved December 24, 2025.
- ^ "Hot Rock & Alternative Songs – Year-End 2025". Billboard. Retrieved December 25, 2025.
- ^ "Canadian single certifications – Lizzy McAlpine – Pushing It Down and Praying". Music Canada. Retrieved February 13, 2026.
- ^ "New Zealand single certifications – Lizzy McAlpine – Pushing It Down and Praying". Radioscope. Retrieved February 11, 2026. Type Pushing It Down and Praying in the "Search:" field and press Enter.