There is nothing we love more than when an artist looks at their own body of work, uses both data and personal/fan opinions, and creates a greatest-hits record. These records always make for an easy project to point new listeners to and get a true taste of who an artist is. Virginia To Vegas, in our opinion, mastered the art of creating the greatest hits track list, including so many of our favorite tracks of his. Including, of course, a track we’ve gushed about before ‘better with you.’ And yes, we also gushed about ‘better with you’ in this interview, it had to be done.
This conversation made us even bigger Virginia To Vegas fans, and we hope it does the same for you. Let’s jump right in!
Stream the greatest hits here!
Hello! Thank you so much for taking the time to talk with us today! To kick us off, how would you describe Virginia to Vegas to someone who hasn’t listened to your music before?
Virginia to Vegas is a project I started in college, that has now entered its tenth year of putting music out. I try to write stories that feel emotional, make you want to dance, and feel nostalgic for the movie of our lives.
the greatest hits
Releasing a greatest hits album is an incredible feat! When it goes to crafting that track list, is it solely based on sales/streams, or do you also look at songs that fans/you really loved that are more deep cuts?
Side A is all about commercial success in chronological order, while** Side B is more about the songs that shaped the next chapters of ViiV and the songs that were closest to me.
Is there a song in your discography that really wouldn’t have fit on this project, but that you’d like to reimagine?
I feel like once I complete a song, I don’t know if I’d ever be able to revisit it. It would almost be like covering the song. I feel like when creating a song, there’s an inspirational force that you’re not creating, but more riding the wave of – and once that wave is gone, it’s passed and it’s time to try to find the new one
Are we getting a tour to go along with this record? A greatest hits tour?
WE ARE GOING ON TOUR ACROSS CANADA IN JUNE!!! Also heading out on my first tour in China! I’m so excited, I miss playing shows sooo bad.
The Tracks
We have to talk about ‘better with you.’ It’s an incredibly important song to us that has soundtracked so many moments in our life. What is it like hearing stories from fans who form such personal connections to words you’ve written?
First of all, thank you! Secondly, I think it’s so wonderful – I truly write songs because I want people to have soundtracks in their lives. Music is such a beautiful tool to heighten the emotional experience, and if I can have any part of that in someone’s life it’s a tremendous honor.
‘TIME!’ felt like the perfect addition to this record, intertwining it with all of these already beloved songs. What was it about this specific track that made you know you wanted to include it on a project like this?
I think the song felt like the end of a ten-year era for me. It’s bittersweet; it’s retrospective; it’s sad but oddly positive. I think ‘TIME!’ is one of those songs where I can allow myself to be fully vulnerable with my audience, and I felt like that was something I wanted to include at the end of a compilation. I feel like the song almost explains how I feel about the last decade and acts as a narrator for the album.
You have said that ‘TIME!’ is the most personal song you’ve ever written. When you go into that session, is the process easier, due to the deep emotions tied to what you’re writing, or is it a harder session for a similar reason?
I feel like telling personal stories always come out faster, like ‘betterman,’ ‘TIME!’ was one of those songs that came out in the session pretty fast.
Looking Back
Ten years is a long time to be making music. Can you speak to what you see as the biggest difference in who you are as an artist today compared to back then?
I feel like the artist I was in 2014 was all courage, and mental fortitude, but almost like I was sitting in the back of a classroom without my glasses on. I feel like now, in 2024, I have my glasses on and am able to see my path a bit clearer and able to articulate my ideas better, but I’m so proud of how brave younger me was. He really believed in himself and that’s so cool.
In the theme of greatest hits, when you look back on your career and all of your accomplishments, is there a moment you can point to where you were really proud of yourself? Something you can pat yourself on the back for?
The whole journey has been fun. It’s all been a ride and I’m grateful for every single moment the ups and the downs.
Once again, thank you so much! To finish us off, what’s next? What can fans look forward to for the rest of 2024?
New music new music new music!
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