Ville Hermanni Valo (pronounced [ˈʋilːe ˈʋɑlo] (listen); born 22 November 1976) is a Finnish singer, musician, songwriter, and producer. He is best known as the lead vocalist of the gothic rock band HIM.
Born and raised in Helsinki to a Hungarian mother and Finnish father, Valo began his career playing bass and drums in various bands around the city. In 1991, he co-founded and became the lead singer and songwriter of HIM, which would go on to become one of the most successful Finnish bands of all time and the first to receive a gold record in the U.S. Known for his deep, crooning, bass-baritone voice, he is the creator of the heartagram, the band's trademarked symbol which has also achieved great popularity outside of the band's fanbase.
Outside of HIM, Valo has collaborated with various other bands and artist during his career, including Agents, The 69 Eyes, and Apocalyptica. He has also made brief appearances in TV and film, often collaborating with Bam Margera of Jackass fame. He has been regarded as a sex symbol and has received several accolades in the music industry. In 2014, he was found to possess the eighth-highest vocal range of any known singer in popular music by VVN Music.