Francois van Coke

Francois Van Coke has been a staple of the South African rock scene since the 2000s when he was the lead singer of the subversive band Fokofpolisiekar (Afrikaans for “Fuckoffpolicecar”) and, later, Van Coke Kartel. Born Francois Badenhorst in Brakpan, Gauteng in 1980, he moved to Cape Town as a youngster and later became part of a Christian rock scene before rebelling and forming Fokofpolisiekar. As a solo musician, Van Coke has maintained the raw emotion and political undertones of Fokofpolisiekar while experimenting with new soundscapes. His breakout hit as a solo artist, the 2015 Karen Zoid duet “Toe Vind Ek Jou,” is a mellow pop/rock ballad detailing an intense romance. He has also branched out into hip-hop through collaborations with rappers Early B and Riky Rick on his 2018 EP, En Vriende and his third studio album Dagdrome in Suburbia (2019). Throughout his career, Francois Van Coke has displayed a knack for exploring new sounds and maintaining a spirit of constant reinvention.