The Space Lady

The Space Lady, born Susan Dietrich Schneider in 1948 in the United States, is a visionary outsider musician renowned for her ethereal performances and innovative sound. Emerging from California’s vibrant street music scene in the late 1970s and 1980s, she captivated passerby with her haunting renditions of pop hits and original songs, performed on a thrift-store Casiotone keyboard and enhanced by echo-laden vocals. Donning a signature silver helmet with wings, The Space Lady quickly became a cult figure, blending cosmic themes with a disarming sincerity.

Her home-recorded cassette "The Space Lady’s Greatest Hits" gained recognition among underground music enthusiasts in the 1990s before her story and music found wider acclaim with its official reissue in 2013. Praised for her otherworldly covers of songs by artists such as Peter Schilling, Electric Light Orchestra, and Steppenwolf, The Space Lady’s unique combination of lo-fi electronics, heartfelt singing, and authentic presentation has inspired a new generation of avant-garde musicians, capping a remarkable career that continues to transcend time and genre.