Katy Perry Says Going Into Space Is Second Only to Motherhood

Every parent knows the ache of being away from their child—even when the journey is one of a lifetime. For Katy Perry, that journey happened to be a rocket ride into space.

Fresh off her historic all-female Blue Origin space flight, the pop icon returned to Earth with one thing on her mind: her daughter. “This experience is second [only] to being a mom,” Perry said in an emotional interview after landing.

Leaving her daughter Daisy for the once-in-a-lifetime trip into space was no small decision for the Firework singer. “That’s why it was hard for me to go because that’s all my love right there,” she said, referring to her daughter watching her journey. “I have to surrender and trust that the universe is going to take care of me and protect me and also my family and my daughter…To go to space is incredible, and I wanted to model courage and worthiness and fearlessness,” she said.

Image: Courtesy of Blue Origin

To keep Daisy close, Perry brought a daisy flower aboard the flight—a simple but powerful tribute. “Daisies are common flowers but they grow through any condition. They go through cement, they go through cracks, they grow through walls,” she explained. “They are resilient, they are powerful, they are strong, they’re everywhere.”

Beyond the symbolism, Perry said the experience deepened her understanding of love. “I feel super connected to love. You never know how much love is inside of you, how much love you have to give and how loved you are.”

Fellow crew member and mom of two, Gayle King, also reflected on the life-changing mission: “For me, it’s such a reminder that we need to do better, be better, as human beings. If everyone could experience the peace we had up there and the kindness … I’ll never, ever, ever forget.”