Ville Valo
Ville Valo was born in Helsinki, Uusimaa, Finland on November 22nd, 1976 and is the Rock Singer. At the age of 47, Ville Valo biography, profession, age, height, weight, eye color, hair color, build, measurements, education, career, dating/affair, family, news updates, and networth are available.
At 47 years old, Ville Valo has this physical status:
In 1991, Valo and Mikko "Mige" Paananen formed His Infernal Majesty. However, the band broke up in 1993 when Mige began his national military service. From 1992 to 1993, Valo played bass in the Donits-Osmo Experience as well. His Infernal Majesty was reformed in 1995 by Valo and Mikko "Linde" Lindstöm. After being rejoined by Mige, as well as keyboardist Antto Melasniemi and drummer Juhana "Pätkä" Rantala, His Infernal Majesty, now simply called HIM, released its debut album Greatest Lovesongs Vol. 666 in 1997. In 2000, now with drummer Mika "Gas Lipstick" Karppinen and keyboardist Juska Salminen, HIM released Razorblade Romance, which reached the number one in Finland, Austria and Germany. Following the addition of Janne "Burton" Puurtinen on keyboards, the band released Deep Shadows and Brilliant Highlights (2001) and Love Metal (2003), which continued to further HIM's success across Europe. The albums also paved the way for HIM's first tours in the United Kingdom and the United States.
In 2005, HIM released Dark Light, which became the group's most commercially successful album to date. It also gave HIM the distinction of being the first Finnish group in history to receive a gold record in the United States. Dark Light was followed up by 2007's Venus Doom. While not as successful as its predecessor, it gave HIM its highest chart position in the United States and garnered the band its first and only Grammy nomination. After 2010's Screamworks: Love in Theory and Practice, HIM entered an extended hiatus after Gas Lipstick was forced to take medical leave. Following several months of uncertainty, the band regrouped and released Tears on Tape in 2013. Gas Lipstick later announced his departure from the band in 2015. He was replaced by Jukka "Kosmo" Kröger. Preliminary work on another album was started, but the band ultimately felt like "there was nothing left to give collectively". On 5 March 2017, HIM announced that the band would be disbanding following a farewell tour. HIM played its final show on New Year's Eve 2017 as a part of its annual Helldone Festival.
Over the course of his career, Valo has contributed to numerous releases by other artists, including The 69 Eyes, Anathema, Andy McCoy, Bloodhound Gang, Cradle of Filth, Jeff Walker, Lullacry, MGT, The Mission and Tehosekoitin. Valo was also a member of Daniel Lioneye, a side project formed by Valo and fellow HIM members Linde Lindström and Mige. Valo played drums on the group's 2001 album The King of Rock 'n Roll, and its accompanying tour. In 2014, the band's original line-up reunited at the Helldone Festival.
In 1999, Valo appeared as guest vocalist on the television show Laulava sydän, where he performed three songs with Finnish schlager group Agents. In 2004, Apocalyptica released "Bittersweet", which featured guest vocals by Valo and Lauri Ylönen of The Rasmus. The song reached number one in Finland, while also cracking the top ten in Germany and Switzerland. Valo and Ylönen performed the song with Apocalyptica live for the first and only time in January 2005 at the Yhteinen ASIA benefit concert for victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami. In 2006, Valo contributed vocals to the compilation album Synkkien laulujen maa. He performed the tracks "Kun minä kotoani läksin" and "Täällä Pohjantähden alla", the latter of which was a duet with famed Finnish singer Kari Tapio. Valo later described recording the song with Tapio as one of the greatest experiences of his musical career. In 2007, Valo and German actress-singer Natalia Avelon recorded a cover version of Lee Hazlewood's "Summer Wine" for the film Eight Miles High. The song charted at number one in Finland and Greece, as well as number two in Germany and Switzerland. It would later be certified platinum in Finland and Germany.
At 2014 edition of Helldone, Valo made his solo live debut, when he performed a set of songs under the pseudonym Rambo Rimbaud. In 2016, Valo released a cover version of "Olet mun kaikuluotain" (a Finnish version of John Denver's "Annie's Song") to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Love Records. The single reached number one on the Finnish Digital Song Sales Chart. A music video, directed by Ykä Järvinen, was also produced. It would later receive the award for Video of the Year at the 2016 Emma Gala. In 2017, Valo provided the soundtrack for the virtual reality video game Downward Spiral: Prologue by 3rd Eye Studios. He would go on to score the 2018 sequel Downward Spiral: Horus Station as well.
In August 2018, it was announced that Valo would be reuniting with Agents to record songs (including previously unreleased ones) by late Finnish singer-songwriter Rauli "Badding" Somerjoki. Valo described the project as a huge honour, having been a fan of Somerjoki and Agents since childhood. Ville Valo & Agents made their live debut at the 2018 Emma Gala. Their self-titled album was released on 15 February 2019, and it debuted at number one on the Finnish Albums Chart, going gold in less than a week. The group then began a tour of Finland, which concluded in August 2019, a year after the project's initial announcement. According to Valo, the collaboration was always intended to remain "short but sweet", thus Valo and Agents disbanded after the tour. At the 2019 Radio SuomiRock awards ceremony, Ville Valo & Agents received the award for Rock Achievement of the Year, while "Ikkunaprinsessa" was named Song of the Year. They also received three Emma Award nominations.
On 20 March 2020, Valo released the surprise EP Gothica Fennica Vol. 1, under the moniker VV. Two of its three tracks charted in Finland. Valo was later named Artist of the Year at the Radio SuomiRock awards ceremony, while "Run Away from the Sun" received the award for Song of the Year. In April 2022, Valo released "Loveletting", the first single from his debut solo album Neon Noir, which is due in 2023. Valo will also embark on a world tour, beginning in January 2023. His backing band will consist of guitarists Mikko Virta and Sampo Sundström, bassist Juho Vehmanen and drummer Risto Rikala.
Valo has made various appearances in television and film. In 1998, he had a small role in the Ilppo Pohjola directed short film Asphalto. In 2008, Valo voiced Moto Moto in the Finnish dub of Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa. Valo has also appeared in several projects by Bam Margera, including Jackass Number Two and Viva La Bam. While he has received offers for several small acting roles, Valo has maintained that he is not an actor, jokingly stating in 2013: "I've always felt that [HIM needs] to sell about 80 million copies more for me to become an actor, a painter, an opera singer or a TV personality."
In 2005, Valo designed a limited line of Coca-Cola Light cans with the proceeds going to the Red Cross. In 2020, Valo was named the new face of Presidentti coffee by Paulig.