Format Digital download Length 3:52 | Genre Indie pop
pop rock Label Wax | |
Released January 7, 2014 (2014-01-07) Writer(s) Jamie Appleby
Derik John Baker
Nathan Ferraro
Kevin Figs
Alyssa Reid | ||
"We Are Stars" is the debut single released by Canadian pop rock singer Virginia to Vegas, featuring Canadian recording artist Alyssa Reid. The song was written by Derik John Baker (Virginia to Vegas) and Reid along with Jamie Appleby, Nathan Ferraro, Kevin Figs, and O.C, while it was produced by Figs. It was released to digital retailers through Wax Records on January 7, 2014 as the lead single from Virginia to Vegas' debut studio album, Utopian (2016). It was later released to the US on July 29, 2014. The song is also included on Virginia to Vegas' debut extended play, Vol. I (2014).
Contents
The song was a success in Canada, peaking at number 14 on the Canadian Hot 100 and being certified Gold by Music Canada by March 2014. It has since reached Platinum sales. "We Are Stars" reached the top 15 on multiple Canadian airplay charts reported by Billboard. On the year-end Hot 100 chart, the song ranked at 57.
Reid later recorded a solo acoustic version of the song for her third studio album, Phoenix (2015). It served as the first promotional single in November 2015.
Critical
Janie Contreras at UMusicians gave the song a positive four-star (out of five) review. She describing "We Are Stars" as "exquisitely mixed" and "quite catchy", while drawing particular attention to the anthemic positivism of the lyrics.
Due to its strong reception on contemporary hit radio in its first month, Virgin Radio Toronto dubbed Virginia to Vegas its "Future Star" for the month of January 2014.
Commercial
"We Are Stars" debuted at No. 94 on the Billboard Canadian Hot 100 for the week ending February 1, 2014. The song peaked at No. 14 in its fourteenth chart week, on the chart dated May 3, 2014. It has been well received by Top 40, AC, and Hot AC radio in Canada, attaining a top 15 position on the Billboard airplay charts for all three of these formats. As of May 24, 2014 "We Are Stars" has peaked at No. 13 on the Canada AC chart, at No. 11 on the Canada CHR/Top 40 chart, and at No. 14 on the Canada Hot AC chart. The song ranked at number 57 on the Billboard Year-End Canadian Hot 100 chart.
Music video
The official music video for "We Are Stars" was directed by Marc Andre Debrunye and premiered March 15, 2014. Black and white concert footage of Virginia to Vegas performing the song and behind-the-scenes shots of him and Reid from their Time Bomb Tour are shown intermittently between neon-lit scenes of the two touring Las Vegas, Nevada.