Chris Hadfield

Chris Hadfield is a Canadian astronaut who became known for making music from space. He served as commander of the International Space Station and recorded a version of David Bowie's "Space Oddity" while in orbit in 2013. That cover, along with original songs like "Is Somebody Singing" and "Jewel In The Night," came from his debut album, also called Space Oddity.

He grew up in Sarnia, Ontario, and learned to play guitar, piano, and trumpet. Before joining the Canadian Space Agency in 1992, he was already interested in music, with artists like Neil Young and David Bowie being early influences. His three missions to the ISS gave him a particular vantage point that shaped his songwriting.

Hadfield's music doesn't try to sound like typical astronaut fare. It's more personal, often dealing with isolation and the view of Earth from above. The response to his work has been mixed, some listeners connect with the perspective, while others find it an unusual crossover. He hasn't released much music since that first album, but the space recordings remain what people remember.