Grace Potter has written a song about a woman in space, and somehow it’s every bit as fun as that premise sounds.
“Spacewalking Woman” is Potter’s new single, a catchy, groove-heavy track inspired by her longtime friendship with NASA astronaut Jessica Meir. Even more impressive: the song was developed through a long-distance collaboration between Potter on Earth and Meir aboard the International Space Station.
Potter and Meir first met in 2015, when NASA invited Potter and her band to Johnson Space Center to film the music video for “Look What We’ve Become.” The two became friends, with Potter later joining Meir’s family to watch her launch into space in 2019.
Meir’s latest NASA mission provided the spark for “Spacewalking Woman.” After watching Meir complete a spacewalk, Potter started asking her about the tools, terminology, and acronyms astronauts use aboard the ISS. Some of that language eventually found its way into the song.
What could have been a very niche inside joke between two friends instead turned into a legitimately fun song. “Spacewalking Woman” has a funky, loose energy that makes it hard not to move along with it, while the story behind the lyrics gives the track an added layer of charm.
Potter described the song as starting as a private “hype track” for Meir before the idea grew into something she wanted to share with a larger audience. The result is a surprisingly fun addition to Potter’s catalog.
Nashville fans will also have a chance to catch Potter live on Oct. 18, when she performs at Live on the Green’s Lawnwarming Party.
For now, “Spacewalking Woman” is a pretty great reminder that sometimes the best songs can come from the most unexpected collaborations.
