Interview with VILLE VALO, ex vocalist with Finnish legends HIM, now frontman with his solo band VV.

We recently had the absolute pleasure of having a chat with the one and only, Finnish legend VILLE VALLO, ex-vocalist with the mighty HIM, and now frontman with his new project VV.

We talked about the history of HIM, his eclectic taste in music, the rise of Finnish metal in the late 90’s, the passing of Alexi Laiho, the new solo album, and the upcoming Australian tour!

Brimming with charisma and gothic melodrama, Ville Valo commands your full attention both on and off the stage. Perfectly fusing the melodic and the melancholic, Valo is the embodiment of Johnny Cash, The Sisters Of Mercy, and Elvis with the lyrical elegance of Lovecraft, Poe, and Bukowski. He is truly one of a kind.
 
Being original does not come easy and creating an entire genre is next to impossible, yet with HIM, Valo did just that when he came soaring out of land of the midnight sun, hypnotising the globe with an enchanting mix of dark rock anthems and emotionally charged ballads.
 
With his distinguished baritone five-octave crooner voice, Valo’s vocal prowess is unparalleled; equally at home making Chris Isaak and Neil Diamond classics his own or wearing his heart on his sleeve on HIM hymns, Funeral Of Hearts, Right Here In My Arms or Wings of A Butterfly. In fact, VVN Music has ranked him as possessing the eighth-highest vocal range of any known singer in popular music and Loudwire ranked Valo as one of the greatest frontman of the 21st century. 

Valo’s evolution from the vampiric leader of HIM to the solo artist known today as VV is represented perfectly via HIM’s iconic Heartagram logo. Something Valo gifted the world when he created it on his 20th birthday. The truly iconic image perfectly captures the juxtaposition of the music with the heart representing its softer side, while the pentagram conveys the heavier, darker elements.
 
With VV, the Heartagram has been updated to include two extra lines to form the moniker VV at its centre. Ville playfully comments that, “Artistically speaking, the main difference between HIM and VV is the extra line in the Heartagram, but what an exquisite line it is!”
 
VV’s debut solo album, Neon Noir was released in early 2023 and it further exemplifies his storytelling prowess and the ability to contrast darkness and light.
 
VV is performing select shows featuring a perfect mix of solo and HIM songs.

TOUR DATES
Wed, March 13: Powerstation, Auckland
Fri, March 15: Northcote Theatre, Melbourne
Sat, March 16: The Metro, Sydney
Sun, March 17: The Tivoli, Brisbane

Get yout tickets now at https://thephoenix.au/vv/