Interview with HOKKA (1/2)

HOKKA create rousing modern rock from Finland. Former Blind Channel singer Joel Hokka’s first album “Via Miseria IV” will be released on April 24, 2026. Read the first part of our interview here.

Between shadows and new beginnings

When everything changed for Joel Hokka in the spring of 2025, nothing less than his identity was at stake. The former frontman of Blind Channel describes this moment in a matter-of-fact yet harrowing way: “In April 2025, my life was turned upside down overnight.” What followed was not a calculated career move, but an inner breakdown – and the start of something new that was only slowly taking shape. Together with Pauli Rantasalmi, the long-time guitarist of The Rasmus, the HOKKA project was born out of conversations about loss, ruptures and new beginnings. Two musicians who had both experienced farewells initially met without a clear intention. “At first I thought I was done with music,” says Hokka looking back. But something began to grow in this void. A concert by Ghost in the Nokia Arena became the trigger. – A moment that opened up a new perspective for him as an artist. “I found my spark again,” he recalls.

The warrior and the mentor

The dynamic between Hokka and Rantasalmi is more than a classic band constellation. It is narrative, metaphor and lived reality at the same time. The “warrior” and the “sensei” – two roles that are not only reflected in the external image, but also define the creative core. “Pauli became my sensei and mentor,” explains Hokka. While Hokka comes from a phase of self-searching, Rantasalmi brings decades of experience to the table. This combination ensures a balance between instinct and structure. “I had to grow because the old version of myself could no longer exist,” says Hokka. This change characterizes the band’s sound: raw but controlled, emotional but purposeful. The creative process itself seems surprisingly organic. Ideas are not born out of calculation, but out of intuition. Both musicians share a clear vision of where the project should develop. It is an exchange at eye level, even if the roles are defined differently. At the same time, this constellation gives rise to a creative friction that lends the songs additional depth. Different perspectives come together and form something that neither of them could have created alone.

Journey through the interior

The debut “Via Miseria IV” comes across as a fully composed concept work, although according to Hokka it was never designed that way. “There was no plan. Everything just came,” he describes the creation process. Melodies, lyrics and structures flowed seemingly unfiltered from an inner state. The title itself is deliberately left open. The explanation for the “IV” is surprisingly brief: “Star Wars.” An answer that seems playful at first glance, but at the same time illustrates the attitude behind the project: meanings do not always have to be fully explained, they can also be felt. In terms of content, the album moves along an emotional borderline. Pain, self-doubt and isolation are at the center, but moments of clarity and strength flash up again and again. It is a journey that is not linear, it moves in loops – always back to one’s own wounds. The result is an almost ritualistic dramaturgy that leads the listener through various stages of inner confrontation. Each song is like a chapter that reveals new facets of the same inner story.

We’ll continue our conversation soon. – And you’ll also find HOKKA in our May/June issue.

Jan Schütz (Meersein)

Line-up:
Joel Hokka – vocals, songwriting, production
Pauli Rantasalmi – guitar, songwriting, production
Jimi Aslak – drums

HOKKA – Tour dates:
May 07, 2026 FI-Helsinki, Tavastia
June 12. June 2026 FI-Lahti, Kesä-Mössö
June 27, 2026 FI-Helsinki, Tuska
July 03, 2026 FI-Turku, Ruisrock
July 17-19, 2026 FI-Joensuu, Ilosaarirock
23-25. July 2026 FI-Kuopio, Kuopiorock
July 25, 2026 FI-Oulu, Qstock
July 31/August 1, 2026 FI-Pori, Porisphere
August 14-16, 2026 CH-Cudrefin, Rock the Lakes

Do you already have your tickets?

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Watch the video for “Heart Said No”: