Khalid will perform his new single “New Normal” during Virgin Galactic’s “Unity 22″ Spaceflight launch on Sunday (July 11). The track — which officially drops on July 21 on Right Hand Music Group/RCA Records –will soundtrack the rocket’s take-off and after the Spaceflight returns to Earth the singer will play a short celebratory set that will include the first-ever live performance of “New Normal.”
“I am so excited and honored to be performing at this historic event. It’s always been a dream of mine to go to space and It’s incredible that Virgin Galactic is working to make space accessible for people to explore in the very near future,” Khalid said in a statement announcing his stellar gig.
“My new song ‘New Normal’ is all about these new journeys we are taking after experiencing so much change during the pandemic. The future is now, everything is changing and this new normal we are all living in is proof that we can find our way through hard times. It’s so cool to know that Sir Richard Branson and all of the mission specialists will be listening to it on their journey. I can’t wait to perform for all of them upon their return to earth!”
According to a statement released on Friday (July 9), the “Unity 22” mission will be the 22nd flight test for VSS Unity and Virgin’s fourth crewed spaceflight; it will also be the first to carry a full crew of two pilots and four mission specialists in the cabin, including company founder Sir Richard Branson.
“The Pilots and Crew of Unity 22 are opening the door for a new generation to be inspired by Space. Khalid is a tremendously talented, global artist and influencer who brings a shared passion for space and for breaking barriers,” said Virgin Galactic CEO Michael Colglazier in a statement. “We’re thrilled to have him perform during Virgin Galactic’s livestream to commemorate this step forward in making human space travel a new normal for the next generation and beyond.”
Virgin Galactic will post a global livestream of the flight that will include Khalid’s performance; the stream will be available here and is expected to begin around 9 a.m. EST on the day of the flight. Khalid scored his first No. 1 on a Latin chart this week thanks to his collab with J Balvin on “Otra Noche Sin Ti.”
