Electronic artist Robert DeLong has moved from synths to banjo for his new release, “Fool Me Once (Folk Edition),” out now, via Roundhill Records. The reimagined track, originally released on his 2025 deluxe album, Playlist of Doom: After Dark, was inspired by a live show where DeLong performed the track on his banjo. The new version adds JD Carrera on pedal steel.

DeLong says:

‘Fool Me Once’ was written on a banjo in my kitchen, recorded on a voice note, and then promptly forgotten. A few months later during the height of lockdown pandemic quaran-tainment, I produced a fun a cappella version of the song filled with stomping, clapping and singing and people seemed to enjoy it, but again, it disappeared into the feed-ether.

As I was putting songs together for ‘PLAYLIST of DOOM,’ I remembered the tune and made a full-production version, which ended up on the Deluxe record. I wanted to do a version of it live, and without thinking one day I picked up my banjo, and then I remembered that’s where it all started. The banjo had accidentally been tuned a half-step too high, which actually suited my voice, and prompted me to record this folk version with my good friend, JD Carrerra, on pedal steel.

“Fool Me Once” lyrically reflects “a multitude of autobiographical moments hand-picked from DeLong’s life and ultimately tell a story about of hopefulness post-one-night stand for future romance.”

Originally from Seattle but now based in Los Angeles, the songwriter, Producer and multi-instrumentalist has appeared on stages at festivals such as Coachella, OutsideLands, Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo, Reading and Leeds, Ultra, and many more.