NEW YORK - Singer Kesha, who made news with her legal battle against a producer who allegedly raped her, returned on Thursday (July 6) with a ballad about finding spiritual strength.

The 30-year-old pop star became a radio fixture with her 2012 album Warrior, which featured the feel-good hits Die Young and Tik Tok, but said she plunged into depression as she fought in vain to exit a contract with producer Dr Luke.

Praying, her first solo song in more than four years, is anything but a party anthem.

She announced that it is the first single off her album Rainbow, which will come out on Aug 11.

Driven by a piano as Kesha's voice builds in volume into a plaintive cry, the song reflects on her experience with Dr Luke as she sings that she is "proud of who I am" despite a person who "told me that I was nothing without you".

The video for Praying quickly became a top trending item on YouTube.

Kesha, in her lawsuit, said that Dr Luke drugged and raped her in 2005 and 2008.

She sought to suspend her contract with his Kemosabe Records.

A court last year rejected her lawsuit, enraging feminists. The singer enjoyed public shows of support from top women in music, including Adele and Taylor Swift.

Sony Music quietly parted ways with Dr Luke earlier this year.

Kesha remains on the Kemosabe label.