Virginia to Vegas Puts “Hartland St.” on the Map

Written by Sarah Evangelista

Graphic: Emily Lantzy

         Derik Baker, better known as Virginia To Vegas, is an American indie-pop artist based out of Toronto, Ontario. You may recognize him from his hit singles “Lights Out” or “We Are Stars,” and he has just released his newest EP titled Hartland St. Although Hartland may be the name of an actual street, there’s a deeper meaning to the album than just the street it’s named after — mainly focusing on relationships in this generation.

         With singles like “Selfish” and “Emotions” released in 2017, Baker automatically caught the attention of many radio stations across Canada. Later, the singer/songwriter put out “Yesterday” in 2018, and not long ago, “Just Friends” was released as the last single before the release of the EP. What was missing was two other captivating songs, which would later be known as “Internet” and “Losing Touch.”

         The six-song album speaks all about being in love in this day and age. Whether it’s the “Just Friends” stage, flirting via the “Internet,” ignorance of a person in the real world, or even a heart strings player. Not only have the songs once again caught the attention of Canadian mainstream radio, but they’ve even captivated the taste of global superstar Taylor Swift, with Baker landing a spot in her personal playlist. It’s no lie when I say that Virginia To Vegas’s newest EP is very well-thought out, and is definitely a great kickoff for the summer season.