London - UPI
Sarah Brightman is slated to become the first professional recording artist to sing from space.
The 54-year-old soprano detailed her plans at a press conference Tuesday, where she unveiled her "Chasing Dreams, Shaping Futures" personal mission patch. Brightman will travel to the International Space Station for 10 days in September, and aims to perform during the trip.
"I'm trying to find a piece that is beautiful and simple in its message, as well as not complicated to sing," she revealed. "I've been working a little with my ex-husband, [composer] Andrew Lloyd Webber, who has actually come up with the most beautiful line for something."
Brightman told reporters she "would like connect with a choir, or children or another singer or an orchestra on Earth" for the performance. She admitted the endeavor will be "very different," as singing "in microgravity is a very different thing to singing down here."
Brightman first announced her intent to travel to space in 2012, and is rumored to be paying over $50 million for the trip. The singer said she hopes the mission will encourage and inspire others "to chase down their own dreams and to help fulfill important global objectives."
Brightman is well-known for her work with Lloyd Webber, and originated the role of Christine Daaé in The Phantom of the Opera on West End and Broadway. The singer released her 11th studio album, Dreamchaser, in 2013, which was inspired by her upcoming trip to space.