Grace Potter Collaborates with NASA Astronaut on New Single
Grace Potter has unveiled her latest single, “Spacewalking Woman,” a tribute to her longtime friend, NASA astronaut Jessica Meir. The song explores the synergy between science, creativity, and exploration.
This unique track emerged from a long-distance collaboration, with Potter crafting the lyrics from Earth while Meir provided insights and terminology from the International Space Station (ISS). The pair first crossed paths in 2015 during a visit to the Johnson Space Center, which blossomed into a lasting friendship. Potter describes her lifelong fascination with space, even attending Meir’s launch in 2019.
Meir’s recent mission aboard the ISS inspired Potter to delve deeper into the language of space exploration after witnessing Meir’s spacewalk. Intrigued by the specialized terminology, Potter reached out to Meir, leading to discussions that ultimately shaped the song.
“Having a friend who is an astronaut is a constant reminder of how easy my job is,” Potter reflected. “After watching Jess spacewalk, I started asking her about the tools and terms like ‘ratchet’ and ‘pistol grip.’ That’s when I realized how lyrical the language of space could be.”
Initially crafted as a personal anthem for Meir, the song evolved into a shared celebration of their friendship and space exploration. Potter hopes listeners will enjoy it as a lively homage to Meir and her fellow astronauts.
“Spacewalking Woman” follows Potter’s seventh studio album, Trespasser, released in August. She’ll soon embark on a tour opening for Zac Brown Band, starting on August 8 in Knoxville, TN.
