About this artist
Known for his melodic, electronic-tinged indie pop, Virginia to Vegas is the stage name of Canadian singer/songwriter Derik John Baker. He initially grabbed attention with his 2014 single “We Are Stars” before issuing his 2016 debut Utopian. Baker continued to rack up the streams with subsequent efforts like Don't Wake Me, I'm Dreaming (2020) and the breezy 2021 single “Malibu.”
Born in Virginia in 1990, Baker grew up in Guelph, Ontario, and he became interested in music as a teenager. After high school, he attended Ontario’s Sheridan College, where he studied Travel and Tourism, all the while posting songs online as Virginia to Vegas. He eventually caught the attention of Wax Records executive Jamie Appleby, who signed him and issued his debut single, “We Are Stars.” The song peaked into the Top 20 of the Canadian singles chart and paved the way for his Vol. 1 EP. More singles followed, including 2015′s “Our Story” and “Somebody’s Watching Me,” the latter of which featured a sample of Rockwell’s 1984 hit of the same name.
In 2016, Baker issued his debut full-length as Virginia to Vegas, Utopian. Included on the album was the single “Lights Out.” A second EP, Hartland St., arrived in 2019 and included the streaming hit “Just Friends.” In 2020 he issued the EPs A Constant State of Improvement and Don't Wake Me, I'm Dreaming, the latter of which spawned the hit “Palm Springs (The Way You Made Me Feel),” and in 2021 he teamed up with Swedish duo NOTD for the road trip-ready single “Malibu.” ~ Matt Collar