Katy Perry becomes first to sing in space, leaving behind Lady Gaga, Justice Bieber and others

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Katy Perry has become the first pop singer to perform in space, marking a new milestone in the intersection of entertainment and spaceflight. On 14 April 2025, Perry flew aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket alongside five other women, all part of an all-female crew selected for the suborbital mission. During the brief journey, she sang “What a Wonderful World” after observing Earth from above, becoming the first artist to deliver a live vocal performance beyond the atmosphere.

The achievement comes after years of speculation and attempts by other high-profile artists to reach space — efforts that, despite their visibility, did not come to fruition.

The first documented case of a pop singer preparing for space travel dates back to 2002, when NSYNC member Lance Bass underwent cosmonaut training in Russia. At age 23, Bass was scheduled to fly aboard a Soyuz spacecraft to the International Space Station (ISS). The trip, backed by a documentary project, would have cost $20 million. However, the mission was eventually cancelled after the project’s insurance provider withdrew support shortly before launch. Despite the setback, Bass later said the training experience alone was valuable.

In the early 2010s, reports emerged that Beyonce and Jay-Z were exploring the idea of recording a music video in space with Virgin Galactic. The couple was believed to be among the hundreds of individuals who had placed a reservation for a suborbital flight on the SpaceShipTwo vehicle. Although the company did not confirm the reservation, media speculation persisted. Following a fatal test flight accident in 2014, it remains unclear whether they retained their tickets.

Singer Justin Bieber, along with his manager Scooter Braun, publicly confirmed a Virgin Galactic flight booking in 2013. Virgin Galactic founder Richard Branson welcomed them in a social media post at the time. Bieber also expressed interest in filming a music video in space. However, like other early ticket holders, he has yet to fly. Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo has since been used for a series of test and commercial flights, though the company is now transitioning to its next-generation “Delta” spaceplanes, with passenger services expected to resume in 2026.

Lady Gaga was also reported to have purchased a ticket on Virgin Galactic in 2013. She had planned to perform a song during a 2015 flight as part of a high-profile event, the “Zero G Colony,” at Spaceport America in New Mexico. However, Virgin Galactic's space tourism programme faced delays, and Gaga’s flight was postponed indefinitely. She has not yet flown.

British soprano Sarah Brightman was scheduled to travel to the International Space Station in 2015 as a space tourist through a deal with Russia’s space agency. She began training in Star City, similar to Bass, but later withdrew from the flight due to “personal family reasons.” The seat was eventually filled by a different passenger.

Katy Perry’s successful suborbital journey makes her the first musical artist to perform in space, achieving what several others had aimed for over the past two decades. While other celebrities have participated in spaceflights through companies like Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic, Perry is the first from the pop music industry to combine the experience with a live vocal performance.

As private space travel becomes more accessible, more artists may follow in her footsteps. But for now, Perry’s brief rendition of “What a Wonderful World” in microgravity stands as a first in music and space history.