Ville Valo on why he doesn’t use social media: “I still believe in imagination.”

Ville Valo has explained in an interview why he doesn’t use social media.

The former HIM frontman doesn’t have personal accounts on any social media platforms, nor does he have any control over his own Heartagram accounts, having handed all the passwords over to a his record label.

“I just don’t feel comfortable,” he told Entrevista (via Louder). “I don’t have enough to say. And I think that it easily becomes this game that you start it and you can’t stop. And I think that it’s better that I keep myself out of it.

“I don’t have any passwords or anything like that for Heartagram. I gave them all away. I said, ‘I don’t wanna know.’ I don’t wanna wake up in the middle of the night and start all of a sudden writing some truth down in all caps. Because that’s exactly what I’d probably do.

“The record company is communicating through Heartagram – the Facebook and Instagram and Twitter, I guess, too. I’m not quite sure.”

Valo also said that keeping off social media allows him to maintain an air of mystery, something he has long admired with other artists.

“I’ve always liked artists that are a bit mysterious, and I like that there’s a sense of detachment. And that also gives, I think, the people, and me as a listener, that makes my imagination do more work,” he continued.

“And I think that when you really start imagining things and you start building ideas about an artist, that’s way more powerful and special and unique than the little info, the constant bombardment of info, on social media.”

Valo is set to release his debut solo album ‘Neon Noir’ on January 13. Announcing the record, Valo said: “‘Neon Noir’ is a sonic step-by-step guide on how to survive, and perhaps even enjoy, the realm of VV with its abundance of things that go bump in the night. It’s a teary mascara marathon between Robert Smith and Ozzy, with a dash of hope.”

Valo will also be touring in support of the album across the UK and Europe next year. You can see the full list of dates below and buy your tickets here.

FEBRUARY
14 – Warsaw Proxima, Poland
15 – Krakow Kwadrat, Poland
16 – Prague Lucerna Music Bar, Czech Republic
17 – Berlin Huxley’s, Germany
18 – Hamburg Fabrik, Germany
20 – Amsterdam Paradiso, Netherlands
21 – Frankfurt Batschkapp, Germany
22 – Zurich Komplex, Switzerland
24 – Barcelona Razzmatazz, Spain
25 – Madrid La Riviera, Spain
26 – Lisbon Cineteatro Capitolio, Portugal
27 – Porto Hard Club, Portugal

MARCH
2 – Milan Alcatraz, Italy
3 – Munich Backstage Werk, Germany
4 – Budapest Barba Negra, Hungary
5 – Vienna Arena, Austria
7 – Esch-sur-Alzette Rockhal, Luxemburg
8 – Cologne LMH, Germany
9 – Paris Le Trabendo, France
10 – Bristol O2 Academy, UK
11 – Nottingham Rock City, UK
13 – Glasgow Garage, UK
14 – Manchester O2 Ritz, UK
15 – London O2 Forum Kentish Town, UK

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