After a period of making assertive changes in pretty much every aspect of her life, COLE BLEU is back with a whole new sound.
Words: Finlay Holden.
Over the last three years, it feels like we've gotten to know Cole Bleu a fair bit: The Let Go's 2022 mixtape 'Delete My Feelings' introduced a self-questioning artist keen to unmask their desperate and disparate emotions; last year's five-tracker 'CRUSHED!' saw the singer step out under her own name as a confident performer with a new pop-fuelled direction. Now, though, as she moves continent, finds a new team of collaborators and pushes an agenda of empowerment, we can finally experience the unfiltered joy that Cole Bleu has been searching for.
"Honestly, you don't realise how much it affects your mood," she explains from her new apartment. Trading the grey skies of Liverpool for the LA sun has done a world of good. Embracing an alternate version of the music industry, Cole is quickly finding that our American counterparts are far more upfront about their perspectives. "In England, everyone is passive-aggressive all the time. I can be here for those moments, but it was literally 24/7. Everyone here says exactly what they feel about you no matter what, and you just have to take it. I respect that; at least you're not lying to me. Also, people do NOT stop working here. It's really hectic and non-stop, but things do happen faster here because of that."
A fast-paced environment is exactly what Cole needs right now as she affirms a new identity, stepping away from the world of her 'CRUSHED!' mixtape, which was formed back in the world of Tesco meal deals and good Indian takeaways. "People loved those songs," she declares. "Not gonna lie, they objectively slap. The choruses are relatable and deliver hard, but I was falling into the trap of doing what every early twenties girl is doing; writing songs about guys, being upset about them. It made it hard to distinguish who I was amongst all of that; I didn't feel like I was doing enough to set myself apart. I knew what came next had to be really different."
