HOKO RELEASE
‘THIS IS GONNA BE OUT YEAR’
OUT NOW
To close what’s been a wild, unexpected first year for HOKO – their debut song, ‘OK OK’, was released in late February and charted multiple weeks at Alternative radio in the US, right as the world was shutting down – the band is now releasing their newest single, the timely ‘This Is Gonna Be Our Year’. The single release is also accompanied by a music video, creative directed by HOKO and edited by Jason Denton.
On October 30, Nathaniel Hoho, of the band HOKO, mailed in his Pennsylvania voting ballot and left behind a polarized and contentious America, on a one-way ticket to Sydney, days before the presidential election. Lugging six cases of recording equipment, and not much else, Nathaniel began his mandatory quarantine, converting his one-room hotel into a makeshift recording studio – and when he wasn’t making music, he passed the time trying to avoid the loneliness of his confinement by connecting with, and reflecting with, fans. Through these conversations Nathaniel heard stories of loss, and loneliness; of fear surrounding a worsening pandemic; concern and uncertainty amidst political turmoil around the world.
“This year has been tragic in so many ways, but what’s been remarkable to me,” says Nathaniel, “is that, in all of these same conversations, people still have so much hope. That hope is what I took away from those conversations, and with ‘This Is Gonna Be Our Year,’ I wanted to play even a small part in helping fuel that hope.”
It was with that energy that Nathaniel felt inspired to release ‘This Is Gonna Be Our Year’ for fans now. For a year that’s presented so many challenges, the new single serves not only as a rallying cry for listeners looking towards 2021 with optimism, but, if you listen to the verses, as a testament to navigating the ups-and-downs and highs-and-lows, knowing that things will ultimately get better.
“Being here in Australia – seeing how Aussies have handled the pandemic – it’s inspiring; it gave me the hope to feel optimistic and to put out this song” says Nathaniel. “We’re all in this together, and we’re entering into a historic year – it’s going to be up to all of us to write it, together.”
HOKO is a genre-bending band that is releasing their music alongside intense visuals inspired by their diverse backgrounds in music, fashion, and debauchery. From a bison farm, to Istanbul, to New York City living in cars and on couches, to working with some of the biggest names in music, HOKO will be telling their story little by little in the year to come.
HOKO’s sound is big and textured – inviting yet challenging – pulling from the worlds of alternative, pop, psych, rock. Working with GRAMMY-nominated producer John Hill (Santigold, Portugal The Man, Cage The Elephant, Khalid) and Andrew Wells (Halsey, Borns, Kaiser Chiefs), HOKO is building towards the release of their debut EP, Heathen, and LP, Heaven, in 2021.”
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