Perry channels her 'feminine divine' ahead of space mission
ONTARIO, Calif., April 12, (AP): After a long day of rehearsing for her upcoming world tour, Katy Perry decided to peruse a few books to help her unwind before bed.
'I was listening to 'Cosmos' by Carl Sagan and reading a book on string theory,' she recalled. 'I've always been interested in astrophysics and interested in astronomy and astrology and the stars. We are all made of stardust and we all come from the stars.'
But the pop superstar was motivated by more than just curiosity. On Monday, she will join Jeff Bezos' fiancee Lauren Sanchez, journalist Gayle King, and three other women on an all-female Blue Origin spaceflight. Perry spoke with The Associated Press at her Southern California rehearsal space on Wednesday, days before she was set to leave for training in Texas.
'I am talking to myself every day and going, 'You're brave, you're bold, you are doing this for the next generation to inspire so many different people but especially young girls to go, 'I'll go to space in the future.' No limitations,'' she said.
Perry said she has been 'psychologically' preparing for the spaceflight by reading work from the late Sagan and other
'I'm really excited about the engineering of it all. I'm excited to learn more about STEM and just the math about what it takes to accomplish this type of thing,' she said.
An all-female spaceflight seems an apt endeavor for the 40-year-old Perry, whose collection of hits include songs about extraterrestrials ('E.T.') and fireworks shooting across the sky ('Firework'), as well as feminist anthems like her 2013 hit, 'Roar,' and 'Woman's World,' off her most recent album.
Perry said that whenever she is doing something new or daunting, she looks inward for strength and confidence.
'Using that feminine divine that I was born with and definitely unlocked when I had my daughter even more. It leveled up for sure. Being a mother just makes you level up with that type of power,' she said. Her daughter, Daisy, 4, joined Perry before her rehearsal.
Bezos' rocket company Blue Origin announced the crew in February. Sanchez, a helicopter pilot and former TV journalist, picked the women who will join her on a 10-minute spaceflight from West Texas aboard a New Shepard rocket. Perry, Sanchez, and King will be joined by Aisha Bowe, a former NASA rocket scientist who now heads an engineering firm, research scientist Amanda Nguyen, and movie producer Kerianne Flynn.
'I am feeling so grateful and grounded and honored to be invited and included with this incredible group of women,' Perry said. Whenever she gets nervous about the trip, she reminds herself how important it is.
Blue Origin has flown tourists on short hops to space since 2021, after Bezos climbed aboard with his brother for the inaugural trip; the upcoming trip will be the company's 11th human spaceflight. Some passengers have received free rides, while others have paid a hefty sum to experience weightlessness. The company declined to comment on who is footing the bill for Monday's flight.
The news of the upcoming trip has not been without critiques, most recently from actor Olivia Munn, who bemoaned the mission's cost and publicity. But Perry believes an all-women crew — the first since Valentina Tereshkova's solo spaceflight in 1963 — has historic ramifications. Only 14% of people who have gone to space so far have been women.
'It's an important moment for the future of commercial space travel and for humanity in general and for women all around,' she said. 'I just feel like, 'Put us in coach.''
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Arab Times
5 days ago
- Arab Times
Swiatek extends Roland-Garros win streak, sets up clash with Sabalenka
PARIS, June 3, (AP): Four-time champion Iga Swiatek's 26th successive win at Roland-Garros set up a French Open semifinal clash against top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka on Tuesday. Swiatek defeated Elina Svitolina 6-1, 7-5 to extend her impressive run. The consecutive wins record on the Parisian red clay is Chris Evert's 29. Having been searching for her best form in recent months, Swiatek, who struggled in the previous round, was in total control in the opening set. She was made to work harder by her 13th-seeded Ukrainian rival in the second set, dropping her serve in the fourth game after hitting two straight unforced errors into the net. But Swiatek broke back immediately and took advantage of Svitolina's poor service game to break again with a thunderous forehand return and move up 6-5. Swiatek sealed the win with a final ace. Swiatek dropped outside the top four before the French Open and has not won a title or reached a final since her victory at Roland-Garros last year. Sabalenka defeated Zheng Qinwen in straight sets to reach the semifinals for the second time. Chasing her first title at Roland-Garros, Sabalenka overcame a shaky start and windy conditions to prevail 7-6 (3), 6-3 and extend her record against the Olympic champion to 7-1. The score did not fully reflect the closeness of the quarterfinal, though, with so little separating the rivals. But Sabalenka demonstrated why she was No. 1, making the difference on big points, while Zheng struggled with her serve in tense moments. Sabalenka will try to reach her sixth Grand Slam final, and first at Roland-Garros. Sabalenka lost her most recent match against Zheng last month in Rome, having previously dominated their first six encounters. She said that loss was a good thing in the middle of an already exhausting season.
Arab Times
5 days ago
- Arab Times
At-home health tests are expanding - here's how to choose the right one
NEW YORK, June 3, (AP): The doctor is in - the mailbox, that is. You can now do self-administered tests for everything from thyroid function to HIV in the privacy of your own home - and that list continues to grow, as the Food and Drug Administration recently approved the first at-home cervical cancer test. While the tests can make it easier for people to access health care and can be helpful for those who have extreme anxiety about sensitive or invasive medical exams, experts warn that most of the tests cannot replace an actual in-person visit. Here's what doctors say you can test for at home, and when you should make the trek to your physician's office. There are two kinds of at-home tests.' In one type, the patient collects the sample and sends it off to a lab; the new cervical cancer test is like this. The other gives an instant result - think COVID-19 and pregnancy tests. HIV home-testing kits can improve rates of diagnosing sexually transmitted infections in rural communities and help people who are nervous about going to the doctor to seek a sensitive test, said Dr. Joseph Cherabie, an infectious diseases specialist in St. Louis. "You really want to get people to care as quickly as possible, but some people could be very anxious about that results as well," Cherabie said. "And they have very negative reactions.' Labs are required to report a positive HIV test, instead of putting the onus on the patient who took the test, Cherabie said, and, often, the patient is matched up with HIV support services. "If you are part of a sexual and gender minority community, going to a doctor's office can be full of a lot of historical trauma, and you may prefer to just do testing at home without anyone judging you or asking you invasive questions about your sex life,' Cherabie said. The new cervical cancer test - which tests for strains of human papillomavirus, or HPV - involves a testing swab that's like a tampon, said Dr. Susan Modesitt, a gynecologic oncologist at Emory University in Atlanta. It is not, Modesitt said, a replacement for a Pap smear, the exam in which a metal speculum is inserted in the vagina to scrape cervix cells. A doctor's visit also involves a pelvic exam, a chance to talk about abnormal bleeding - a sign of endometrial cancer - and other symptoms and issues, like menopause or STIs. "There are so many other reasons to see your doctor and get an exam outside of a cervical cancer screening,' she said. The at-home cervical cancer test from Teal Health requires a prescription, and the company said that results are not left for the patient to interpret. Some at-home tests can replace a trip to the doctor's office. That's especially true in rural areas, where it can be difficult to get a colonoscopy. "The colonoscopy requires a pre-op, and you have to drive maybe 70 miles for it,' said Dr. Steven Furr, board chair of the American Academy of Family Physicians who practices in rural Alabama. "You get anesthesia. It's actually almost like a surgical procedure in many ways. "So, for a lot of people, that's pretty arduous. That's where an at-home test can come in handy.' But, Furr said, if your test reveals issues, you need to go to your doctor. Plus, patients should always discuss test results with their physician instead of interpreting them on their own, he said. If you have symptoms of what you're testing for, go to the doctor. At-home colon cancer tests aren't the right option for people with a history of colon cancer or high-risk conditions, such as inflammatory bowel disease, said Dr. Zachariah Foda, a gastroenterologist at Johns Hopkins. He added that they're also not recommended for people who are having GI symptoms. While there are tests for many things - running anywhere from $15 to $400, depending on what is being evaluated - Furr said it's essential to make sure that your test is FDA-approved so you can better trust the results. "Anytime we get people involved in their own health care and help them understand what's going on, I think that's a good thing and it gives us a chance to talk,' he said. "Any kind of screening is better than no screening.'
Arab Times
6 days ago
- Arab Times
Renée Victor, voice of Abuelita in Pixar's 'Coco,' dies at 86
LOS ANGELES, June 3, (AP): Renée Victor, who voiced the no-nonsense, sandal-throwing Abuelita in Disney's animated hit "Coco' and played the wisecracking Lupita on Showtime's "Weeds,' has died. She was 86. Victor's death was confirmed on Monday by a representative, Julie Smith, who said the actor had lymphoma for several years. She died Friday at her home in Sherman Oaks, California, Smith said, with family by her side. A post on the Instagram feed of Pixar, which produced "Coco,' said: "We are heartbroken to hear of the passing of Renée Victor, the voice (of) Abuelita in 'Coco' and an incredible part of the Pixar family. We will always remember you.' Victor appeared in 22 episodes of "Weeds' as sassy housekeeper Lupita between 2005 and 2012, among many other TV credits including "ER,' "Matlock' and "The Addams Family.' But she was perhaps best known for what she called the chancla-throwing grandmother in "Coco,' the 2017 family-friendly movie that explored death through the journey of a young Mexican boy to the land of the dead. "I play the part of 'Abuelita,' the chancla throwing grandma that preaches 'No Music!'' she wrote on Instagram, looking back several years ago. "Enjoy 'Coco' with your family this Dia de los Muertos and forever more!' She also looked back at "The Apostle,' the 1997 movie that Robert Duvall wrote, directed and starred in. "He took a chance on me with this film,' Victor wrote on Instagram. "This is where I got my nickname 'one take Renée,'' she said, adding laughter emojis. "I had a small role but what a great one! Can somebody give me an amen?!' Born in San Antonio, Texas, on July 25, 1938, Victor began her performing career as a singer and dancer. She moved to Los Angeles in the 1960s, according to biography material provided by her representatives, where she launched her career singing with prominent big band leaders Xavier Cugat and Pérez Prado. She also taught Latin dancing, including the salsa and tango. She met her future husband, Ray, during that period, and from 1963 to 1973, they performed together as "Ray & Renée,' a variety show took them around the world - including Australia, where "they enjoyed particular fame,' the materials said. In the 1970s, Victor hosted the "Pacesetters' public affairs show on KTLA, her representatives said, and by the '80s had moved into TV and film work. Her film credits, other than "The Apostle,' included the 2014 horror film "Paranormal Activity 5: The Marked Ones,' "The Doctor' with William Hurt (1991), and "A Night in Old Mexico' (2013), also with Duvall. In 2004, she had a recurring role as Florina Lopez on TV's "ER,' and the following year was cast in "Weeds.' Other series credits included "Snowpiercer' (2020-2021), "Mayans M.C.' (2022), "Dead to Me' (2020-2022), and Amazon's "With Love' (2021-2023).
