“I was on my own. It became a powerful moment of growth”: Inside Joel Hokka’s new band, HOKKA

A year and a half since Blind Channel announced their split, frontman Joel Hokka has returned with a new band, HOKKA.

It finds the frontman teaming up with fellow Finn and founding member of The Rasmus Pauli Rantasalmi on guitar and drummer Jimi Aslak for a slightly more goth-edged proposition, heard on debut track In The Darkness.

Announcing themselves to the world with the single and its ambitious, samurai-inspired video, Joel says that it all reflects on the lows of the past year, and picking himself up again.

"It’s a self-image and a self-reflection," he tells K!. "I guess it’s like a foreword to this brand-new, weird, and epic journey ahead. But it’s also a stream of consciousness – just me and my thoughts about everything that has happened lately – which is a lot."

Along with the video, HOKKA will make their live debut on New Year's Eve in his home city's Oulu-halli as part of Finnish station YLE's celebrations. Here, Joel takes us behind the scenes of the video, and reflects on his journey to start this new chapter…

How did this new project come about?
"I went through the most difficult time of my life last spring. I was completely left outside alone for the first time, and it ultimately became a powerful moment of growth, both as a person and as an artist. I started wandering alone in the dark and that’s when I met my sensei, mentor and now-bandmate Pauli, who had gone through similar experiences in his own life. What was meant to be just a therapy session turned into something more. One chord led to another, and we ended up founding a band together."

What have been your inspirations for this new chapter?
"For years, I felt like everything was just about image and proving to people how big of a rock star I was. It became overwhelming – so overwhelming that I wanted to quit. I lost the spark I had in the beginning: channeling my heavy and dark emotions into the art I create. I guess I’ve found it again, thanks to the people around me. I’m mostly inspired by the journey I’ve had so far, but Pauli and I have also created a brand-new 'world' while writing songs, music video scripts, and everything related to this project.
"All of it is influenced and inspired by Nordic melancholy, early 2000s rock and fictional worlds like superheroes and Kill Bill movies. I’m also inspired by how much fun this all is. Painting the red scar on my face and wearing a cape is something that makes me feel truly alive."

Tell us about the new track, In The Darkness…
"It’s a reminder to everyone: don’t take it too seriously, even if it’s darker than ever. We won’t be here forever. The monster in your head might be alive, but it’s better to make it your friend rather than your enemy. I’ve always been a child of the moon, not the sun. This is my tribute to the eternal darkness living in my head rent-free."

What's the story with the video?
"It sums up my journey from this year. 2025 has been the most 'what the fuck just happened?' year so far. It tells the whole story, starting from the depths of rock bottom, finding my sensei – Pauli – getting the sword, rebuilding myself, rebuilding the gang and flying again – this time with a cape and a facial scar to remind me of the past. The video was written by Pauli and me. Creating the visual elements for this band is just as important to us as writing the songs. This whole project is a 360-degree audio-visual experience – the world of HOKKA."

What are your hopes and ambitions for HOKKA?
"I just want to be happy and inspired, first and foremost. I feel like I’m seven years old again. My mom used to remind me how I’d wear superhero costumes, play with lightsabers and imagine my own fictional movies. I guess I’m pretty close to that now, 25 years later.
"While healing my inner child, I’m also healing my inner teenager: writing and recording my own music with my best friends. Of course, I want to take over the world and tour as much as possible in many countries. I love meeting fans and playing shows. The fans are still the most important thing to me – and to the whole band. I can’t wait to see what the future holds."

You're playing on New Year's Eve – how are you feeling about returning to the stage?
"This feels like waiting for Christmas Eve when you were a child – excited, a bit nervous – you don’t know exactly how it’s going to feel, but you know it’s going to feel good. Not just good – better than ever. I still have fairly fresh memories from the past years of doing hundreds of shows. But mentally, I’m in a different place now. I’m more relaxed. I don’t have to prove anything to anyone anymore. I’m free!"

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