After nearly 30 years of performing live, Ville Valo has his tour routine down – and it doesn't take much to satisfy him on the road.
"I'm very simple," the Finnish singer/songwriter says in this episode of Herbal Tea & White Sofas. "I need bananas, a kettle, honey, and water."
Valo often opts for bananas because they're cheap, filling, and easily accessible in any part of the world, and he can quickly tell the quality by looking at their color. He also admits that the bathroom situation on tour buses can be intimidating, and bananas can usually keep stomach issues at bay.
As a pre-show ritual, he jokes that he double-checks for toilet paper stuck to his Converse. "I've seen it happen!" Valo says with a smile.
When it comes to hitting the stage, Valo has another tour essential that may be a bit surprising: nerves. "If they're not there, I don't think the gig will be a success," he explains. "The best performances are the ones where you forget all about everything... Those are usually the ones where you get lost in the music and be one with the crowd. That's a special feeling."
Press play on the video above to learn more about Ville Valo's touring essentials, and keep checking back to GRAMMY.com for more new episodes of Herbal Tea & White Sofas.