Best known as the mercurial and charismatic frontman of Finnish goth rock giants H.I.M., Ville Valo became one of his country's most recognizable faces, being the only Finnish artist to snag a gold record in the United States. After six full-lengths with H.I.M., Valo struck out on his own and released the single "Summer Wine" with Natalia Avelon in 2007. As the decades progressed, he continued to release music and collaborations. H.I.M. issued two more studio albums before officially disbanding in 2017, and Valo unveiled his first full-length solo effort, the brooding, electronics-leaning Neon Noir, in 2023 under the moniker VV.