Derik John Baker, known as Virginia To Vegas, is an American-Born Canadian musician, singer, and songwriter. He is based in Toronto, Ontario. He is best known for his gold and platinum-certified singles, "We Are Stars", "Lights Out", "Selfish", "Just Friends" and "Betterman", released through Wax Records and Ultra Records.
Virginia To Vegas | |
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Background information | |
Birth name | Derik John Baker |
Born | Richmond, Virginia, United States |
Origin | Guelph, Ontario, Canada |
Genres | |
Occupations |
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Instruments |
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Years active | 2013–present |
Labels | |
Website | www |
Early life and education
editAlthough Derik John Baker[1] was born in the Richmond, Virginia, United States[2], he was raised in Guelph and Toronto, in Ontario, Canada[3][4], as well as Charleston in West Virginia, United States.[3]
He attended high school at Guelph Collegiate Vocational Institute and Bishop Macdonell Catholic High School.[5] After high school, Derik attended Sheridan College for studies in travel and tourism.[6]
Career
edit2013–2014: Career beginnings and Vol. I
editVirginia To Vegas was signed to an independent full service 100% Canadian music company Wax Records in July 2013, after label executive, Jamie Appleby, discovered him on YouTube. The first single "We Are Stars" was released on January 7, 2014, and entered the Canadian Singles Top 100 chart at 94 on week 5, February 1, 2014, peaked at 14 and stayed for one week.[7] On November 10, 2014, Virginia to Vegas released his debut EP Vol. I, which includes his Platinum-certified debut single "We Are Stars".[8][9]
2015–2016: Utopian
editVirginia to Vegas released a new single, "Our Story", on May 4, 2015.[10] On September 2, 2016, he released a new single, "Lights Out", which samples Rockwell's 1984 single, "Somebody's Watching Me".[11] That fall, he announced that his debut studio album would be released by the end of 2016.[12] Utopian was released on December 2, 2016 and features all four of his singles released through that date.[13] This was when he first got signed to a U.S record company of Ultra Records.
2017–2019: Hartland St.
editOn February 24, 2017, Virginia To Vegas released a new single called "Selfish".[14] On November 8, he released another single called "Emotions".[15] His next single "Yesterday" was released on October 12, 2018.[16] Finally, he released "Just Friends" on May 24, 2019.[17] All these songs are featured on his second EP Hartland St., which was released on June 14, 2019.[18] Hartland Street is the name of the actual street he lives on in real life. This was when he moved to, was living in, and was leaving Los Angeles at a time.
2020–2022: A Constant State of Improvement and Don't Wake Me, I'm Dreaming
editOnly months after the release of Hartland St., Virginia To Vegas released the single "Betterman" on February 14, 2020, followed by an EP titled A Constant State of Improvement on February 28, 2020, which includes the song "Betterman". On October 30, 2020, he released another EP, Don't Wake Me, I'm Dreaming,[19] which includes the lead single "Palm Springs (The Way You Made Me Feel)", released on September 18.[20] In September 2021, he collaborated with MacKenzie Porter on the single "This Sucks.".[21]
Discography
editStudio albums
editTitle | Album details |
---|---|
Utopian |
|
Life Gets Interesting... |
Track listing[22]
|
Compilation albums
editTitle | Album details |
---|---|
The Greatest Hits |
Track listing[23]
|
Extended plays
editTitle | EP details |
---|---|
Vol. I |
Track listing[24]
|
Hartland St. |
Track listing[18]
|
A Constant State of Improvement |
Track listing[25]
|
Don't Wake Me, I'm Dreaming |
Track listing[19]
|
It's a Little Complicated, But I'm Okay. |
Track listing[26]
|
Compilation extended plays
editTitle | EP details |
---|---|
L.A. in the Rear View |
Track listing[27]
|
Remember That Time We |
Track listing[28]
|
Singles
editAs lead artist
editYear | Single | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CAN [29] |
CAN AC [30] |
CAN CHR [31] |
CAN Hot AC [32] | ||||
2014 | "We Are Stars" (featuring Alyssa Reid) |
14 | 13 | 11 | 14 | Utopian | |
"Don't Fight the Music" | 97 | 30 | 33 | 36 | |||
2015 | "Our Story" | — | — | 47 | 32 | ||
2016 | "Lights Out" | 40 | 12 | 10 | 14 |
| |
2017 | "Selfish" | 72 | 11 | 9 | 12 |
|
Hartland St. |
"Emotions" | — | — | 34 | 39 | |||
2018 | "Yesterday" | — | — | 30 | — | ||
2019 | "Just Friends" | 50 | 5 | 8 | 3 |
| |
2020 | "Betterman" | 48 | 8 | 15 | 6 |
|
A Constant State of Improvement |
"Palm Springs (The Way You Made Me Feel)"[20] | — | — | 27 | 41 | Don't Wake Me, I'm Dreaming | ||
2021 | "Malibu"[34] (with NOTD) |
— | — | 24 | 29 | Remember That Time We | |
"This Sucks."[35] (with MacKenzie Porter) |
— | — | 26 | 42 | |||
2022 | "No Excuses" | 61 | 7 | 12 | 11 | Life Gets Interesting... | |
"Daydreaming"[36] (with Noelle) |
99 | 14 | 20 | 29 | Non-album singles | ||
2023 | "Last Christmas" (featuring Tyler Shaw, Lolo, New Friends, Noelle, Shawn Hook) |
— | — | — | — | ||
2024 | "Time!" | — | — | — | — | The Greatest Hits | |
"More Often Than Not" | — | — | — | — | Non-album single | ||
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart. |
As featured artist
editYear | Single | Peak chart positions | Album | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CAN [37] |
CAN AC [38] |
CAN CHR [39] |
CAN Hot AC [40] | |||
2021 | "Just as Much" (Delaney Jane featuring Virginia to Vegas) |
71 | 15 | 11 | 21 | Somewhere Else |
Promotional singles
editYear | Single | Album |
---|---|---|
2014 | "Colourful" | Vol. I |
2021 | "Amnesia"[41] | Life Gets Interesting... |
2022 | "You Don't Know"[42] | |
"Break Up with That Guy."[43] |
Awards
editVirginia to Vegas performed at the 2014 Canadian Radio Music Awards where he was nominated for the Heartseeker Award. His radio success with his first three singles "We Are Stars", "Don't Fight the Music", and "Our Story" contributed to him being nominated for Pop Artist or Group of the Year at the 2015 Sirius XM Indie Awards.[44]
"We Are Stars", "Lights Out" and "Selfish" all earned Virginia to Vegas Socan awards for pop recordings of the year.
In 2015 Virginia to Vegas was awarded at the Canadian Radio Music Awards for the Factor Breakthrough Artist of the Year.
He received a Juno Award nomination for Breakthrough Artist of the Year at the Juno Awards of 2018.[45]
References
edit- ^ "Virginia to Vegas in Studio". CHFI. Archived from the original on 24 August 2014. Retrieved 17 February 2015.
- ^ Pelletier, Jeff (23 September 2019). "Q&A: Virginia to Vegas's Derik Baker". The Charlatan, Carleton's independent newspaper. Retrieved 25 October 2024.
- ^ a b "Virginia to Vegas Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio ..." AllMusic. Retrieved 25 October 2024.
- ^ "trcs.eslvideo.com - Betterman". trcs.eslvideo.com. Retrieved 25 October 2024.
- ^ "Virginia To Vegas honors his past with 'the greatest hits' » // MELODIC Magazine". www.melodicmag.com. 8 March 2024. Retrieved 25 October 2024.
- ^ "Virginia To Vegas | Wax Records". waxrecords. Retrieved 25 October 2024.
- ^ "Virginia to Vegas and Alyssa Reid – We Are Stars". ACharts.us. Retrieved 17 February 2015.
- ^ "Virginia to Vegas". The Feldman Agency. Retrieved 17 February 2015.
- ^ Pham, Vivian. "Listen—Virginia To Vegas Releases New Single 'Colourful'". Pop Dust. Retrieved 17 February 2015.
- ^ "Don't Fight the Music – Virginia to Vegas | Release Info". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
- ^ Kennedy, John R (8 November 2016). "Virginia to Vegas Channels Rockwell In 'Lights Out'". iHeartRadio. iHeartMedia. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
- ^ Doole, Kerry (25 November 2016). "Virginia To Vegas: Lights Out". FYI Music News. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
- ^ "Utopian by Virginia to Vegas". iTunes Store (Canada). Apple Inc. 2 December 2016. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
- ^ "Selfish – Single by Virginia to Vegas on Apple Music", iTunes Store (Canada), retrieved 6 July 2019
- ^ "Emotions – Single by Virginia to Vegas on Apple Music", iTunes Store (Canada), retrieved 6 July 2019
- ^ "Yesterday – Single by Virginia to Vegas on Apple Music", iTunes Store (Canada), retrieved 6 July 2019
- ^ "Just Friends – Single by Virginia to Vegas on Apple Music", iTunes Store, retrieved 6 July 2019
- ^ a b "Hartland St. – EP by Virginia to Vegas". iTunes Store (Canada). Apple Inc. Retrieved 20 June 2019.
- ^ a b "don't wake me, i'm dreaming – EP by Virginia to Vegas". Apple Music (Canada). Apple Inc. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
- ^ a b "Palm Springs (the way you made me feel) – Single by Virginia to Vegas". Apple Music (Canada). Apple Inc. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
- ^ Doole, Kerry (19 September 2021). "Virginia To Vegas ft MacKenzie Porter – this sucks". FYI Music News.
- ^ "life gets interesting... by Virginia To Vegas". iTunes Store (Canada). Apple Inc. 17 February 2023. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
- ^ "the greatest hits by Virginia To Vegas". iTunes Store (Canada). Apple Inc. 8 March 2024. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
- ^ "Vol. I – EP by Virginia to Vegas". iTunes Store (Canada). Apple Inc. 10 November 2014. Retrieved 7 November 2015.
- ^ "a constant state of improvement. – EP by Virginia to Vegas". Apple Music (Canada). Apple Inc. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
- ^ "it's a little complicated, but i'm okay. – Single by Virginia to Vegas". Apple Music (Canada). Apple Inc. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
- ^ "l.a. in the rear view – EP by Virginia to Vegas". Apple Music (Canada). Apple Inc. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
- ^ "Remember That Time We – EP by Virginia to Vegas". Apple Music (Canada). Apple Inc. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
- ^ "Virginia To Vegas Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Archived from the original on 13 May 2018. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
- "No Excuses": "Canadian Hot 100: Week of January 14, 2023". Billboard. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
- "Daydreaming": "Canadian Hot 100: Week of March 4, 2023". Billboard. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
- ^ "Virginia To Vegas Chart History (Canada AC)". Billboard. Archived from the original on 19 May 2018. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
- "No Excuses": "Canada AC: Week of October 22, 2022". Billboard. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
- "Daydreaming": "Noelle Chart History (Canada AC)". Billboard. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
- ^ "Virginia To Vegas Chart History (Canada CHR/Top 40)". Billboard. Archived from the original on 19 May 2018. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
- "This Sucks.": "Canada CHR Top 40: December 11, 2021". Billboard. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
- "No Excuses": "Canada CHR Top 40: Week of October 22, 2022". Billboard. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
- "Daydreaming": "Noelle Chart History (Canada CHR/Top 40)". Billboard. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
- ^ "Virginia To Vegas Chart History (Canada Hot AC)". Billboard. Archived from the original on 19 May 2018. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
- "This Sucks.": "Canada Hot AC: February 5, 2022". Billboard. Retrieved 2 February 2022.(subscription required)
- "No Excuses": "Canada Hot AC: Week of October 22, 2022". Billboard. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
- "Daydreaming": "Noelle Chart History (Canada Hot AC)". Billboard. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
- ^ a b c d e "Canadian certifications – Virginia to Vegas". Music Canada. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
- ^ "Malibu – Single by Virginia to Vegas & NOTD". Apple Music (Canada). Apple Inc. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
- ^ "Virginia To Vegas & MacKenzie Porter Earn Strong Radio Support". FYI Music News. 19 September 2021.
- ^ "Daydreaming – Single by Noelle & Virginia to Vegas". Apple Music. Apple Inc. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
- ^ "Delaney Jane Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
- ^ "Delaney Jane Chart History (Canada AC)". Billboard. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
- ^ "Delaney Jane Chart History (Canada CHR/Top 40)". Billboard. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
- ^ "Delaney Jane Chart History (Canada Hot AC)". Billboard. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
- ^ "amnesia – Single by Virginia to Vegas". Apple Music (Canada). Apple Inc. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
- ^ "you don't know – Single by Virginia to Vegas". Apple Music (Canada). Apple Inc. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
- ^ "break up with that guy. – Single by Virginia to Vegas". Apple Music. Apple Inc. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
- ^ Delmar, Sari (8 April 2015). "2015 INDIE AWARDS NOMINEES ANNOUNCED". INDIES. Sirius XM. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
- ^ "Arcade Fire and Daniel Caesar lead 2018 Juno Award nominations". CBC Music, February 6, 2018.