​MAIJA

Photo: Mikko Malmivaara

Maija Pokela (b. 1990) is a Finnish kantele player, singer and folk musician.
​She plays different sized kanteles, mostly 15-stringed small kantele and 38-stringed concert kantele in many kinds of projects and bands.

Maija started playing the kantele at the age of five and eventually fell in love with folk music. She's been touring with Kardemimmit since they were children, graduated from the Folk Music Department of the Sibelius Academy, been forming bands like ENKEL, joining different projects and recording sessions as a vocalist and kantele player and playing concerts with her bands around the world. She's releasing her debut solo album in April 2025.

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​© Maija Pokela