NASA (song)

File:Shangela at Rupaul's Dragcon 2017 (cropped).jpg (pictured in 2017).]]

File:NASA logo.svg]]"NASA", named after the U.S. space agency of the same name,{{Cite web|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2019/02/ariana-grande-nasa/582340/|title=A Space Nerd's Reading of Ariana Grande's 'NASA' Song|last=Koren|first=Marina|date=2019-02-09|website=The Atlantic|language=en-US|access-date=2019-02-25}} was written by Ariana Grande, Victoria Monét, Tayla Parx and its producers Tommy Brown and Charles Anderson. Grande's vocals were recorded by at the Jungle City Studios in New York City. Serban Ghenea mixed the track, and Brendan Morawski and Billy Hickey engineered the track assisted by Sean Kline.

The track features a spoken introduction by Shangela, an American drag queen. She says, "One small step for woman, one giant leap for womankind",{{cite web|url=https://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/music/a26254894/ariana-grande-thank-u-next-album-numbers/|title=A Breakdown of Literally Every Single Thing That Happens On Ariana's New Album, 'Thank U, Next'|first=Hannah|last=Chambers|date=8 February 2019|website=Cosmopolitan|access-date=26 February 2019}} a variation on Neil Armstrong's quote, "That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind."{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/art-books-music/a26246260/ariana-grande-nasa-lyrics-meaning/|title=Ariana Grande's "NASA" Is the Anthem for People Who Need Space|last=Gonzales|first=Erica|date=2019-02-08|magazine=Harper's BAZAAR|language=en-US|access-date=2019-02-25}} Shangela has said of the origins of her contribution to the track: {{Blockquote|The song ['NASA'] was amazing, and when the song ended, she was like, 'What do you think?' And I was like, 'Oh girl, I live! I love it, and it's amazing! I'm already thinking of how I'm going to perform it for my drag number, when I do my version.' And she looked at me said, 'Your version?' And I said, 'I'm just going to put a fun intro on it for drag, and I'm going to be in a spacesuit with like space-Titties and I'm going to come out in a moon man suit and I'm going to lift the mask and say, 'This is one small step for woman, one giant leap for womankind.' And she was like, 'Oh my God! I love that!'{{cite web|title=How Shangela Snagged a Surprise Appearance on Ariana Grande's Thank U, Next Album|url=https://www.eonline.com/news/1012856/how-shangela-snagged-a-surprise-appearance-on-ariana-grande-s-thank-u-next|access-date=February 25, 2018 |work=E!News}}}}

"NASA" received positive reviews from critics, with many noting it as a highlight from the album. The Atlantic{{'s}} Spencer Kornhaber wrote, "On the top-tier bop 'NASA', which evokes Grande's sonic godmother Mariah Carey without recycling her, she kindly but firmly asks a lover for a night apart."{{cite web|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2019/02/ariana-grande-thank-u-next-album-review-cold-truths/582376/|title=Ariana Grande Tells the Cold Truth on 'Thank U, Next'|first=Spencer|last=Kornhaber|date=8 February 2019|website=The Atlantic|access-date=26 February 2019}} In his review of Thank U, Next, Michael Cragg of The Guardian said of the song, "The springy, joyous NASA, which harks back to her debut, 2013's Yours Truly, takes the theme of planetary exploration and turns it into a plea for space (geddit?)."{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2019/feb/08/ariana-grande-thank-u-next-review|title=Ariana Grande: Thank U, Next review – a break-up album of wit and wonder|first=Michael|last=Cragg|newspaper=The Guardian |date=8 February 2019|access-date=26 February 2019|via=www.theguardian.com}} Carolyn Bernucca of Complex said, "The standout track, 'NASA,' is punctuated by thumping bass and trap drums that have made their way from Atlanta all the way into mainstream pop."{{cite web|url=https://www.complex.com/music/2019/02/ariana-grande-thank-u-next-album-weve-always-wanted|title='Thank U, Next' Is the Ariana Grande Album We've Always Wanted|website=Complex|access-date=26 February 2019}} Mathew Rodriguez of Out wrote, "On this banger, Ari demands distance from a smothering loved one, but it’s also very much an ode to self-care, something everyone in Grande’s target demographic — everyone — thinks about. The good news is that the verses are killer and succeed at establishing the kind of mood Grande wants to create. That said, the chorus here feels a little mismatched with the rest of the song. It’s not that it’s bad, but the rest of the song is so chill, that her Toni Basil-like repetition of “space” over and over feels a little underwritten."{{cite web|url=https://www.out.com/entertainment/2019/2/08/ariana-grandes-thank-u-next-track-track-review|title=Ariana Grande's 'Thank U, Next': A Track-by-Track Review|date=8 February 2019|website=Out.com|access-date=26 February 2019}}

"NASA" was ranked as one of the best songs of 2019 by several publications. Pitchfork stated that "on an album largely about the joys of being unattached, "NASA" offers a nuance: the freedom to be attached, just not right now. “I can’t really miss you if I’m with you,” Grande offers, gently reminding a lover that intimacy doesn't mean constant proximity. While Grande's refrain of “I’m a star, I’ma need space” verges on cutesy, the delicate harmonies and airy production of “NASA” make its blown-out bass and trap drums feel weightless."{{Cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/best-songs-2019/|title=The 100 Best Songs of 2019|website=Pitchfork|date=9 December 2019 |language=en|access-date=2019-12-09}} Rolling Stone said the song was "a deeply empathetic (and devastatingly catchy) ode to wanting to be alone, and letting absence make hearts grow fonder. The beat, courtesy of producers Tommy Brown and Charles Anderson, is the standout on an album with stiff competition, based around a whistling, underwater-sounding synth. The writing, which took place in a marathon New York recording run, is some of Grande’s sharpest to date. And on top of all that, the song’s basic thesis is correct: If you haven’t listened to it in a while, throw it on right now. You’ll like it even more than you used to."{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-songs-2019-914751/|title=The 50 Best Songs of 2019|author1=Jonathan Bernstein |author2=Jon Blistein |author3=Jon Dolan |author4=Patrick Doyle |author5=Brenna Ehrlich |author6=Suzy Exposito |author7=Jon Freeman |author8=Kory Grow |author9=Will Hermes |author10=Charles Holmes |author11=Joseph Hudak |author12=Brendan Klinkenberg |author13=Elias Leight |author14=Angie Martoccio |author15=Rob Sheffield |author16=Claire Shaffer |author17=Hank Shteamer |author18=Brittany Spanos|date=2019-12-06|magazine=Rolling Stone|language=en-US|access-date=2019-12-09}} Uproxx ranked 'NASA' at number 18 on their year-end list, saying that "more songs about self-sufficiency within relationships can only be a good thing for Ariana’s young fans, and those of still floundering through codependency issues in our thirties."{{Cite web|url=https://uproxx.com/music/best-songs-of-2019-ranked/|title=The 50 Best Songs Of 2019|date=2019-12-03|website=UPROXX|language=en-US|access-date=2019-12-09}} Stereogum ranked it at number 19 on their Top 40 Pop Songs of 2019 list.{{Cite web|url=https://www.stereogum.com/2067368/the-top-40-pop-songs-of-2019/franchises/2019-in-review/|title=The Top 40 Pop Songs Of 2019|date=2019-12-12|website=Stereogum|access-date=2019-12-13}}

Following the release of Thank U, Next, "NASA" debuted on at number 17 on the Billboard Hot 100 issue dated February 23, 2019, becoming Grande's 18th top-twenty hit on that chart, the fifth top-twenty entry from the album and her second highest-charting non-single in the United States. Consequently, Thank U, Next became the first female album to have five top-twenty entries on the Hot 100 since Taylor Swift's Reputation the year before.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/ariana-grande|title=Ariana Grande|magazine=Billboard|access-date=2019-04-28}}

Credits adapted from Tidal.{{Cite web|url=https://listen.tidal.com/album/103692735|title=Try the TIDAL Web Player|website=listen.tidal.com|date=8 February 2019 |language=en|access-date=2019-07-17}}{{Div col}}

• Ariana Grande – lead vocals, songwriter, vocal producer
• Victoria Monét – backing vocals, songwriter, vocal producer
• Tayla Parx – backing vocals, songwriter
• Tommy Brown – producer, songwriter, programmer
• Charles Anderson – producer, songwriter, programmer
• Billy Hickey – engineer, studio personnel
• Brendan Morawski – engineer, studio personnel
• John Hanes – mixing engineer, studio personnel
• Serban Ghenea – mixer, studio personnel
• Sean Klein – assistant recording engineer, studio personnel

{{Div col end}}

{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for "NASA"}}

{{certification Table Entry|type=single|region=Australia|certyear=2023|award=Platinum|access-date=July 7, 2023}}

{{certification Table Entry|region=Brazil|artist=Ariana Grande|title=NASA|award=Platinum|number=2|type=single|relyear=2019|certyear=2023|access-date=18 December 2023}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|certyear=2020|relyear=2019|artist=Ariana Grande|title=NASA|award=Silver|type=single|id=16533-3975-1}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|artist=Ariana Grande|title=NASA|type=single|award=Platinum|relyear=2019|certyear=2020|accessdate=June 15, 2020}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|streaming=true|noshipments=true|nosales=true}}

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Category:2019 songs

Category:Ariana Grande songs

Category:Songs written by Ariana Grande

Category:Songs written by Victoria Monét

Category:Songs written by Charles Anderson

Category:Songs written by Tommy Brown (record producer)

Category:Song recordings produced by Tommy Brown (record producer)

Category:Song recordings produced by Charles Anderson