1. Ville Valo is best known as the lead vocalist of the gothic rock band HIM.
48 Facts About Ville Valo
1. 2.
Outside of HIM, Ville Valo has collaborated with various other bands and artists during his career, including Agents, The 69 Eyes, and Apocalyptica.
3.
In 2020, Ville Valo embarked on a solo career under the moniker VV.
4.
Ville Valo is the creator of the heartagram, HIM's trademarked symbol, which has achieved great popularity outside of the band's fanbase.
5.
Ville Hermanni Valo was born in Helsinki, Finland, on 22 November 1976, the son of a Hungarian mother and a Finnish father.
6.
Ville Valo has a younger brother Jesse, who, like his older brother, embarked on a music career, before turning to professional kickboxing.
7.
Ville Valo's mother recounted how Rauli "Badding" Somerjoki's "Paratiisi" was the only thing that would sooth Ville Valo as an infant.
8.
At age eight, Ville Valo bought the album Animalize by Kiss, which sparked his interest in music.
9.
Ville Valo eventually dropped out of school altogether to concentrate on his music career.
10.
Ville Valo was allowed to skip Finland's national military service due to his asthma.
11.
Ville Valo was a member of Daniel Lioneye, a side project formed by Ville Valo and fellow HIM members Linde Lindstrom and Mige.
12.
Ville Valo played drums on the group's 2001 album The King of Rock 'n Roll, and its accompanying tour.
13.
In 1999, Ville Valo appeared as guest vocalist on the television show Laulava sydan, where he performed three songs with Finnish schlager group Agents.
14.
In 2006, Ville Valo contributed vocals to the compilation album Synkkien laulujen maa.
15.
Ville Valo performed the tracks "Kun mina kotoani laksin" and "Taalla Pohjantahden alla", the latter of which was a duet with famed Finnish singer Kari Tapio.
16.
Ville Valo later described recording the song with Tapio as one of the greatest experiences of his musical career.
17.
At 2014 edition of Helldone, Ville Valo made his solo live debut, when he performed a set of songs under the pseudonym Rambo Rimbaud.
18.
In 2016, Ville Valo released a cover version of "Olet mun kaikuluotain" to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Love Records.
19.
In 2017, Ville Valo provided the soundtrack for the virtual reality video game Downward Spiral: Prologue by 3rd Eye Studios.
20.
Ville Valo would go on to score the 2018 sequel Downward Spiral: Horus Station as well.
21.
Ville Valo described the project as a huge honour, having been a fan of Somerjoki and Agents since childhood.
22.
On 20 March 2020, Ville Valo released the surprise EP Gothica Fennica Vol.
23.
In support of the album, Ville Valo embarked on a world tour beginning in January 2023.
24.
Ville Valo's backing band consists of lead guitarist Mikko Virta, rhythm guitarist Sampo Sundstrom, bassist Juho Vehmanen and drummer Risto Rikala.
25.
In 2008, Ville Valo voiced Moto Moto in the Finnish dub of Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa.
26.
Ville Valo has appeared in several projects by Bam Margera, including Jackass Number Two and Viva La Bam.
27.
In 2005, Ville Valo designed a limited line of Coca-Cola Light cans with the proceeds going to the Red Cross.
28.
In 2020, Ville Valo was named the new face of Presidentti coffee by Paulig.
29.
In 2006, Ville Valo purchased a 19th-century tower house in Munkkiniemi, where he lived until 2015, when it was put up for sale.
30.
Ville Valo dated Finnish television host and model Jonna Nygren in the early 2000s.
31.
Ville Valo was then involved in a relationship with an undisclosed partner, who served as his main source of inspiration for HIM's 2010 album Screamworks: Love in Theory and Practice.
32.
In 2012, Ville Valo was linked to French model Sandra Mittica.
33.
Since 2016, Ville Valo has been in a relationship with Finnish model Christel Karhu.
34.
Ville Valo has been a vegetarian since he was a teenager.
35.
In 2004, Ville Valo was invited to the Presidential Independence Day reception at Finland's presidential palace, but was unable to attend due to a fever.
36.
Ville Valo has asserted his disinterest in narcotics, citing cigarettes and alcohol as his only two vices.
37.
In 2000, an intoxicated Ville Valo nearly jumped off the thirteenth floor of a hotel in Germany, before being pulled back by friends.
38.
In November 2004, the New York Post ran an article where Ville Valo was accused of performing drunk at HIM's Irving Plaza concert.
39.
Ville Valo reportedly threw half empty beer cans across the stage in addition to slurring his words and forgetting the lyrics to songs.
40.
Ville Valo suffered minor injuries and was robbed of his jacket, asthma medicine, cigarettes, credit cards, and cell phone.
41.
In February 2006, Ville Valo was arrested at his home in Helsinki after allegedly threatening to kill his neighbor and resisting arrest.
42.
Ville Valo later cited depression and stress as contributing factors to his alcohol abuse at the time.
43.
On HIM's 2010 album Screamworks: Love in Theory and Practice, Ville Valo worked completely sober for the first time in the band's history.
44.
Ville Valo has since relapsed though he has maintained an effort to balance his drinking.
45.
Ville Valo has described HIM's music as "sentimental, hard-hitting rock".
46.
Ville Valo shone like a star with his blend of Mick Jagger posturing and Brandon Lee's dark charms in The Crow.
47.
Ville Valo compared the situation to Kiss, noting how the visuals and music are part of one whole.
48.
On his twentieth birthday, Ville Valo created the heartagram, which would eventually become the symbol for HIM.