Always finding it hard to be like everybody else Hokshila Andrade stayed true to his heart following the way that might seem way unusual. His round-the world travelling experiences and busking on the streets in different parts of the world since he was seventeen made key influence to his music style and made it incredibly unique.While living among locals Hokshila observed not only different instrumental techniques but also he faced values, lifestyle and social-political problems of the countries he lived in. Musician got experience that none school could ever teach: night street jams with local youth in Soweto township (South Africa), percussion workshops and capoeira angola sessions in Bahia (Brasil) where Hokshila bought bunch of drums for locals so they could jam together, or even busking on the streets of Stockholm (Sweden), Oslo (Norway), Copenhagen (Denmark) and making a living of it.“I have learned to LOVE music. Can you point me a school that has this subject on the list?†said Hokshila.In the year 2003 Hokshila released his very first acoustic street busking style solo album 'Unite' and got reviews mostly stating how different, colourful and warm his music was:
“Hokshila’s music is so different from anything I’ve ever heard. It has that reggae feel to it too. Lyrics are deep; they have passion and great meaning. Phenomenal voice. There is something you call magic inside his music too. Something that makes peoples dream, something that inspires them and allows them to feel.†(Velena, US).The whole album is, by its very nature, very special and diverse. Written in different countries and influenced by various cultures all 11 songs cover an outstanding range of ideas, emotions and feelings that obliges us to think differently and jump out of our framed mind.
Having so much to say Hokshila touches every issue that seems to have an essential meaning in our lives and brings it up to our understanding.“Music cross boundaries between different cultures. And there is no difference for me what culture one belongs to when one can connect in music. Black or white, all unite…†Hokshila explains.Right after releasing ‘Unite’ musician took off and spent a half-year in India, Pakistan and Iran looking for new musical styles and visions. Hokshila got a chance to touch this traditional living music culture by checking out countless variety of local drums (daffs, dumbeks), visiting famous Iranian composer’s and musicologist’s Mr. Darvish’s place, experiencing Iranian hospitality.
Inspired by Indian kids, all this loud, colourful, spicy Indian culture Hokshila wrote song ‘Bombay’ that became the most cheerful piece in his second album ‘Babylon DC’ released in July 2005 together with musician’s reggae-ragga-dub-band ‘b.j.fighters’.As with most artists you can hear a link from one record to another, but ‘Babylon DC’ was just different in its character – more complete, more adapted to big scenes, more mature it featured 15 new songs. Three songs were written in Lithuanian language where two of them ‘Pasaulis grazus’ and ‘Rastaman’ have reached No1 on independent Lithuanian charts and got great response from the local crowd. Sarcastic and funny at the same time ‘Pasaulis grazus’ got ‘the best song of the year’ award at ‘Children vote 2005’, and ‘Rastaman’ video was awarded for ‘the best male character of the year’ on Tango TV video awards 2005.In 2006 album Fight for Africa was recorded in Africa during Hokshila's trip from Cape to Cairo. Local musicians particapated on the recording as well. Critics and media reviews called this new cd a most powerful Hokshila's album with a strong political message. MOvie 'Walkt to Zion' was filmed by Hokshila on the same trip too.Project 'Backpackers' was created in year 2007 when Hokshila and L.Adomaitis travelled through Central America and jamed along the way.
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