Recommended Tracks: “no excuses,” “better with you,” “TIME!”
Artists You Might Like: joan, Lauv, Troye Sivan
It is nothing short of amazing for an artist to reach a point in their career when they can release a “greatest hits” project. Some will go for decades without racking up a number of valuable songs for such an album, and others may fizzle out before they even get a hit song to their name. For Derik Baker, also known as Virginia To Vegas, 2024 marks ten years since the release of his debut EP, Volume 1. Who would have known that this release was just the beginning for the talented singer, songwriter, and producer? After going multi-platinum, reaching international acclaim in countries like China, and earning over one billion global streams on his music, Virginia To Vegas can proudly look back on the past decade and bottle it all up on the greatest hits.
On the greatest hits, Virginia To Vegas treats us to a collection of his biggest radio plays and fan favorites, starting with “We Are Stars.” It is an empowering way to kick off the album, the cheerful whistling and inspiring lyrics putting listeners in a good place. After hearing lines like, “It seems life is impossible / So believe that you’re unstoppable,” from featured singer-songwriter Alyssa Reid, the possibilities of life seem endless. Virginia To Vegas gives us more reflective songs in this lane with “betterman” and “better with you.” On the former, he recalls the ways his newfound LA lifestyle is changing him, making him into someone he does not wish to be. With an air of warmth, he envisions the improvements he can make and sings, “Maybe I should get to church on Sunday / Call my mom, put a smile on her face / Tell her one thing / I wanna be a better me, a better man.” On the latter, he calls attention to the hole in his life that needs to be filled. Over the endearing acoustic pop sounds of the track, he sings, “I know all these memories I hold onto / Would’ve been better with you,” wanting his life to be complete.
Elsewhere on the album, we have bright and rhythmic songs that deal with relationships. There are times when Virginia To Vegas wishes to get closer to someone, as we hear on playful tracks like “Just Friends” and “no excuses,” his patience wearing thin. With “what are we,” this desire is traded in for anxiety, as he tries to figure out where he stands in a relationship. He wonders what to make of the situation, as heard in lines like, “What are we? / You’re texting me goodnight / Kissing me goodbye in the morning,” but even though there are no answers yet, he is hopeful that some will turn up soon. Later on, we make some trips out to “Palm Springs” and “Malibu,” where Virginia To Vegas reminisces on the fun he had out there. He pairs these memories with a cool electropop production, and in turn, creates a moody club-like atmosphere. Underneath the music, though, he reveals that he left his heart in these places, lyrics like “I didn’t care about the view / All I could do was look at you” on “Malibu,” exposing the truth.
Instead of ending the greatest hits with his biggest song, Virginia To Vegas closes it out with a new one. An innocent indie pop track, “TIME!” touches on the ways life has changed for the artist and the small moments that make it all worthwhile. He puts his past into perspective, taking us back to the days when he would ride his bike after school with his brother or make out in cars by the train tracks. Even though there is a bittersweet tinge to the lyrics, the sunny sounds make lines like, “Time keeps rolling / I / Keep hoping / I / Got a ways to go / The only thing we can’t control is / TIME!” feel positive.
It is fitting for the greatest hits to end with “TIME!” because it summarizes this ride for Virginia To Vegas. He shared that the album is “a retrospective look at the different chapters of my life,” and “TIME!” honors these chapters while holding out for the future. Additionally, the greatest hits honors his dad, who was not around to see this era of his son’s life. Virginia To Vegas expressed, “I can’t believe I’ve been doing this for 10 years. I’ve always wished my dad had been able to see me make a career out of doing something that we both loved so deeply. This album is a bit of a tribute to him.” All in all, new and old fans of Virginia To Vegas can appreciate this album, either learning more about the artist through these songs or reliving old memories that these songs evoke. Here’s to the next ten years!
You can listen to the greatest hits on platforms like Apple Music, SoundCloud, and Spotify.
Keep up with Virginia To Vegas: Instagram // X // Facebook // YouTube // TikTok // Website
