The Chainsmokers have signed up to perform at the edge of space. According to AP News, the duo of Drew Taggart and Alex Pall will enter a pressurized capsule connected to a stratospheric balloon and perform around 20 miles above the Earth. The endeavor, expected to happen in a few years, would make Taggart and Pall the first musical artists to perform at the edge of space according to Ryan Hartman, CEO of space tourism company World View.
World View told AP The Chainsmokers will be on one of the company's inaugural flights scheduled for 2024 and will record a live performance from inside the capsule. “We have always dreamed of going to space and are stoked to collaborate with World View to have this adventure and experience,” The Chainsmokers said in a statement. “We know the views of both Earth and space are going to be incredible and inspiring and we hope to leverage this flight for creativity on future projects.”
Hartman believes sending artists up into space instead of just scientists and engineers might "inspire them to do something different than they would have otherwise done.” He continued, "We think about inspiring new perspectives and how those new perspectives can lead to a radically improved future for our Earth. To be able to reach the audience of The Chainsmokers through Alex and Drew’s work contributes to our mission as well. It’s something that I’m personally inspired by and excited about.”
Having The Chainsmokers be part of the unique project was partly a personal decision as Hartman said his youngest son's enthusiasm for the duo prompted his choice. “I have just seen firsthand and personally how their music reaches a lot of different groups, a lot of different age groups and just how passionate they are about their music and their art," Hartman told AP. "It matches our passion for what we do."