NEW YORK (AP) — One of The Chainsmokers’ latest hits is “High,” and they’re hoping to live up to their lyrics.
The successful duo Drew Taggart and Alex Pall have signed up to go in a few years in a pressurized capsule attached to a stratospheric balloon and perform some 20 miles above the Earth.
The achievement would make Taggart and Pall the first musical artists to perform on the edge of space, Ryan Hartman, chief executive officer at fledgling space tourism company World View, told The Associated Press.
World View says The Chainsmokers will be on one of the company’s first flights, scheduled for 2024, and will record a performance from the capsule, allowing viewers to experience the music and journey firsthand.
“We have always dreamed of going to space and are excited to partner with World View to have this adventure and experience,” The Chainsmokers said in a statement. “We know the views from both Earth and space will be incredible and inspiring and we hope to use this flight for creativity in future projects.”
The Chainsmokers have had five Top 10 Billboard Hot 100 hits, including “Closer” “Paris”, “Don’t Let Me Down” and “Something Just Like This” featuring Coldplay in 2017.
Hartman said that while most people who have made spaceflights are scientists and engineers, World View hopes sending artists could inspire them to do something different than they otherwise would have done.
“We think about inspiring new perspectives and how those new perspectives can lead to a radically improved future for our planet,” Hartman said. “Being able to reach the audience of The Chainsmokers through Alex and Drew’s work also contributes to our mission. It’s something I’m personally inspired by and excited about.”
World View is part of a new wave of private space exploration companies offering seats to the public, a list that includes Blue Origin, Virgin Galactic and SpaceX. Each World View balloon capsule can accommodate eight passengers and reach a peak height of 30,480 meters. Each flight takes six to twelve hours.
Choosing The Chainsmokers for the honor was partly a personal decision and also an effort to excite a younger audience. Hartman said he watched his youngest son pull out the lyrics to the duo’s songs and was inspired by the band’s popularity. He explained the flight to the couple over dinner.
“I have just seen first hand and personally how their music reaches many different groups, many different age groups and how passionate they are about their music and their art. It fits our passion for what we do,” he says.