Mika Pohjola lived in Vantaa, Finland, outside Helsinki until 1987. He started studying piano and music theory with his father, Heikki Pohjola in 1979. In 1982, he started singing in the Helsinki cathedral boy choir, Cantores Minores. He then studied classical piano, music theory and counterpoint at the Vantaa Music Institute. After completing his classical studies, Pohjola moved to Stockholm, Sweden to study jazz music. He met Alvaro Is Rojas while studying at the Södra Latin Gymnasium. Is Rojas taught him piano improvisation and jazz ear-training for five years. Pohjola received a Master's Degree in Jazz Education at the Royal Swedish College of Music in 1992. 