Heartagram
Heartagram |
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Heartagram is a symbol created by Finnish musician Ville Valo, best known as the lead vocalist and songwriter for the rock band HIM.[1]
It made its first public appearance on the cover of HIM's 2000 album Razorblade Romance. Originally used to encapsulate the self-styled genre of 'Love Metal' – a blend of heavy music with romantic, and melancholic themes. The Heartagram quickly evolved into a broader visual identity that transcended its origin.
Reflecting on Heartagram's evolution, Valo commented: "Heartagram stands for something bigger than us... You don't have to like HIM to be able to like the symbol." – Ville Valo, 'Someone Who Isn't Me' podcast, hosted by Daniel P. Carter (January 5, 2023)[2]
The Heartagram appeared consistently across HIM's albums, merchandise, and stage design, becoming a widely recognised symbol in the alternative music scene. Fans worldwide have adopted the symbol as a personal insignia, through tattoos, clothing, and creative reinterpretations.[1]
Valo has also expressed a desire to disassociate the symbol from political or religious meaning, stating that the Heartagram is a personal emblem of emotional and artistic duality, not tied to any specific ideology.[1]
During his solo career under the moniker VV, Valo introduced a variation of the original symbol that incorporates two additional lines into the design, forming the initials 'VV' within the Heartagram shape. Regarding the updated version, Valo said: "Artistically speaking the main difference between HIM and VV is the extra line in the Heartagram, but what an exquisite line it is!"[3] This continuation of the motif has reinforced the symbol's lasting association with Valo's personal artistic identity.[4]
The Heartagram is often cited as one of the few band-originated logos to enter the broader cultural lexicon, alongside icons like the Rolling Stones' tongue, and the Misfits skull, The Crimson Ghost.[1]
Heartagram's fusion of opposites – romance and darkness, softness and aggression – has helped it resonate with a wide and diverse audience.[1]
The Heartagram gained wider recognition in the USA in the 2000s via the American skateboarder and media personality Bam Margera through TV shows and movies like Jackass and Viva La Bam.[5] Margera also used the Heartagram symbol to promote the band's music and aesthetic on his own merchandise, appearing on skateboard decks, shoes, and clothing.[1]
Other cultural figures have also incorporated the Heartagram into their work, including tattoo artist and musician Kat Von D, a longtime fan of HIM, who has a Heartagram tattoo, and named a shade in her 2015 'KVD Everlasting Blush' makeup line 'Heartagram.'[6]
In 2023, fashion label Midnight Studios debuted a line titled 'And Love Said No', named after a HIM song, at New York Fashion Week, featuring Heartagram imagery.[7]
The Heartagram has also appeared in popular television shows, including Criminal Minds and Charmed.
In the past decade, it has also surfaced in hip hop and street fashion, usually without the blessing of Valo.[8][9]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 https://www.loudersound.com/features/him-ville-valo-heartagram-interview Louder Sound: The story behind HIM's Heartagram
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCm7nSHKri4 Ville Valo interviewed by Daniel P Carter on the Someone Who Isn't Me podcast – YouTube
- ↑ https://www.instagram.com/reel/C5TG6vBIi4a/ Instagram: In the Words of Ville – Heartagram transformed into double VV
- ↑ https://us.heartagram.com/products/neon-noir-tee VV Official Store: Neon Noir Tee featuring VV Heartagram
- ↑ https://www.revolvermag.com/culture/jackass-star-steve-os-epic-mockery-bam-margeras-heartagram-tattoo Revolver Magazine 'Jackass' Star Steve-O's Epic Mockery of Bam Margera's Heartagram Tattoo
- ↑ https://phyrra.net/kat-von-d-everlasting-blush-review.html Phyrra: Kat Von D Everlasting Blush Review
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXiSIxJpBEQ YouTube: Midnight Studios NYFW 2023 – "And Love Said No"
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SKkPYDHztc YouTube: Trippie Redd – Heartagram use
- ↑ https://music.apple.com/us/album/heartagram-single/1735957507 Apple Music: Playboi Carti – "Heartagram"
- ↑ https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/ville-valo-him-special-edition-coca-1475859668
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