With his single "Fool", South African singer-songwriter Lee Cole opens a new chapter in his career. Blending the emotional weight of a modern pop ballad with stirring strings, guitars and powerful vocals, the song captures the painful moment when you realise that a relationship is no longer what you have convinced yourself it is. At the same time, "Fool" offers a glimpse into Cole's latest body of work, "Letters to Myself".

Sometimes the mind already knows what the heart is not yet ready to accept. That inner conflict lies at the heart of Lee Cole's "Fool". The South African singer, songwriter and producer explores the self-deception that comes with holding onto a relationship long after you know, deep down, that it has come to an end.

"In the context of the song, a fool is someone who lies to themselves about another person's true connection to them," Cole explains. "It's about avoiding heartbreak by never pulling the plug."

Musically, "Fool" sees Cole returning to his roots in modern pop balladry, but with a noticeably more mature and refined sound. Emotional guitars, sweeping strings and his commanding vocal delivery form the foundation of a song that draws its strength from honesty rather than excess.

Although Cole stepped into a character to tell the story, the emotion behind it is universal: What happens when loving another person slowly begins to diminish the love you have for yourself?

"Sometimes loving someone else can eat away at the love you have for yourself," Cole says. "It's important to know that sometimes you can walk away."

Two Years in the Making

Written entirely by Lee Cole, "Fool" took two years to reach its final form. For the production and arrangement, Cole worked alongside Howie Combrink and Marco Gomes of South African rock band Prime Circle.

Gomes brought fresh ideas to the song's structure, production and length, while Combrink helped shape the final recording through the mix and the addition of guitars and strings. For Cole, the arrival of those strings became a defining moment in the creative process.

"When we added the strings, we knew there was something special," he recalls.

"Fool" also represents a new stage in Cole's artistic development.

"It's raw and honest, but it's also more polished and mature than my previous releases," he says. "I feel like I'm finally settling into the artist I'm supposed to be."

That evolution follows a significant period in Cole's career. Over the past year, he has performed ahead of global superstar Robbie Williams, toured Portugal alongside Prime Circle and appeared at Rocking the Daisies.

Letters to Myself" - Personal Messages Across Different Musical Worlds

With "Fool", Lee Cole also opens the door to his latest body of work, **"Letters to Myself"**. Each song represents a different personal message while revealing another side of Cole as an artist.

Rather than committing to one particular genre, Cole moves between pop, rock, soul, dance and ballad influences.

"They're all very different," he explains. "The title 'Letters to Myself' is precisely that -- each song is essentially a different message."

Cole's approach to making music has changed as well. Rather than allowing streaming figures, radio performance or expectations of commercial success to dominate the creative process, he has become increasingly focused on enjoying the act of making music itself.

"You always feel a little pressure when releasing music. It's the nature of the game," he says. "But over the past year, my focus has been strictly on whether I'm enjoying the small moments of making music rather than focusing on whether it will be successful."

As both songwriter and producer, Cole is now more deeply involved in every stage of his music than ever before. His long-standing influences -- including Queen, AC/DC and Michael Jackson -- remain part of his musical DNA, while contemporary pop and artists such as Olivia Dean are increasingly finding their way into his creative world.

"I'm in an exploring space right now, figuring out what music means to me at this stage in my life and hoping people connect with it," Cole says.

And rather than telling listeners exactly what they should take away from "Fool", his hope is refreshingly simple:

"I hope people feel anything. As long as they feel something, I don't mind what it is."

"Fool" is therefore more than simply another addition to Lee Cole's catalogue. It represents a turning point: more personal, more reflective and more confident -- and a clear statement of the artist he is becoming.

About Lee Cole

South African singer-songwriter and producer Lee Cole blends pop, R&B and soul with powerful vocals and emotionally honest songwriting. Songs including "Blind", "Headrush", "Pink Dragons", "Ice cream", "Mine" and "Palace of Dreams" have helped establish him as one of South Africa's rising musical talents, backed by strong national radio support and an increasingly impressive live presence.

"Blind" reached No. 1 on multiple South African radio charts in 2024, while "Headrush" reached more than 20 million listeners. In 2025, "Ice cream" entered the South African Top 20, followed by "Mine", which received airplay and playlist support from stations including 5FM, 947, KFM, Good Hope FM, Algoa FM and OFM, and reached No. 1 on the 5FM Indie Chart. "Palace of Dreams" also received extensive radio support across South Africa.

Cole was named "Best Male Singer in South Africa (English)" at the 2025 Afri-Indie Awards. His live appearances include KFM's KDAY, the SAFTAs, Rocking the Daisies and Jacaranda FM's Christmas Carols. He has also opened for Robbie Williams in Cape Town and Pretoria and toured Portugal supporting Prime Circle.

Now increasingly hands-on in both songwriting and production, Cole's sound has developed into a fluid blend of pop, rock, soul, dance and ballad influences -- drawing on classic inspirations such as Queen, AC/DC and Michael Jackson while embracing contemporary artists including Olivia Dean.