Hello everyone! Welcome to the last post of the year. With this last post of 2025, I wanted to introduce you to a new band and drum up some excitement for their debut album set to come out in January (more on that later!).
Just the other day, when I was listening to Julia Wolf, Spotify played a list of songs associated with her music. It was through this list that I discovered a new band called Softcult. I heard a song called She Said, He Said.
With a band name like that, I knew I would love them. The song itself was a certified banger. Oh, how I love when Spotify actually introduces me to new music I’ll love!
So just who is Softcult? The Kitchener based band is an alternative indie rock comprised of twin siblings Mercedes Arn-Horn on vocals/guitar and Phoenix Arn-Horn on vocals and drums. The twins were previously in a pop punk band called Courage My Love. Softcult’s music is also grungey and shoegazey, while also remaining grounded in the riot grrl movement.
To understand the reason why I took to Softcult so easily, I feel it is necessary to provide a touch more background on myself. I have a lifelong interest in punk and alternative music scenes. I would say being an emo kid provided me with the fertile ground to grow into a feminist punkish adult. As I grew into more diverse music, I never let go of that music that informed me, both as a person and as an enjoyer of music.
With this information mind, I should now tell you that Softcult’s music is inherently political and feminist. I want to go back for a moment to muse on She Said, He Said. The song is about…well, let me provide you an excerpt:
Now, it’s her word against his
But he’s your friend so you’ve gotta take his side
I mean, he’s such a nice guy
And, in his defence, she was probably leading him on
He said, “she’s a lying bitch anyway
Girls lie about guys all the time”
But he’s such a nice guy
He’s such a nice fucking guy
The first time I listened to the song, my mouth was agape. I realized it’s been a long time since I’ve listened to new punk music, and genuinely, I was feeling refreshed to hear someone talk about things that many women have experienced. Combined with this, the blend of genre that Softcult is known for make the song an even more thrilling listen.
I have always been pro-rage. Ok, that sounds weird. But what I mean, anger does not have to be a bad thing because it is a normal human emotion. Of course, many people deal with anger in unhealthy and toxic ways…I am not talking about that kind of anger in particular.
I am talking about the kind of anger that you feel in your bones against the world, especially as a person with a marginalized identity. In 1979, off the iconic album London Calling, The Clash’s Joe Strummer sang on Clampdown, “Let fury have the hour, anger can be power! Do you know that you can use it?” This is the anger I’m talking about, and the one I see in Softcult’s music.
It’s very clear that Softcult’s political lyric writing was with them from the start. On their second EP, Year of the Snake, the opening track is called BWBB – shorthand for Boys Will Be Boys. In 2023, they released Dress, a song that is very clearly about sexual assault. Their music has continually been informed by their experiences with misogyny, sexism, and their personal traumas.
Listeners can hear their social commentary again on tracks like Drain. Mercedes sings, “Why should we dare to live forever / If nobody cares to change for the better?” The song touches on the malaise of being alive in a time of climate change.
Our eco-anxieties, and our role as humans in the world concerning the turmoil on the environment. The song makes me think of the climate change deniers, who also do not help with pushing positive changes for the environment especially if it does not personally benefit them. What do we do when neither your neighbour nor your government does anything meaningful to address the climate crisis?
On Uzumaki, the twins bring attention to the cycle of abuse in relationships. By bringing attention to the difficult topics of physical/emotional abuse, the band does hopes that listeners are able to see that growth is always possible. To break the cycle is to set yourself free, and dare to dream of a future that no one can take away from you.
On Love Song, the twins provide a different sort of song than what we discussed so far. I’ve mentioned the serious topics that Sofcult takes one, but they, too, write about the universal things we go through: falling in love. Love Song reminds us that being in love requires so much of us, but with that right person, it’s worth surrendering yourself to.
Hearing the song for the first time, I thought it was quite sweet. I’ve mentioned in past posts that I love vulnerability in an artist, and that’s because it takes a lot of courage to be vulnerable with yourself and then present it for mass consumption. Not everyone is built to do that, or can do it well for that matter.
When discussing their influences, the twins muse about growing up with anti-establishment parents who encouraged critical thinking and introduced them to the legends, such as Rage Against the Machine. The groundwork laid upon them by their upbringing clearly sets the two up for a life of being aware and understanding the complexities of being a person with marginalized identities.
Drawing on inspiration from Kathleen Hanna and the riot grrl movement, it’s no shock that when talking about what formed Softcult into what it is now, Mercedes had this to say to Kelsey Adams in an interview for CBC,
“It lit this fire in me … it never really occurred to me until I was introduced to riot grrrl that you don’t just have to sit down and accept that this is the way things are, you can totally call things out and push against injustice. I do think it shaped who I am and definitely what we want softcult to be.”
The twins behind Softcult opened up for Mannequin Pussy and Movements. A tour with one of the essential indie punk bands of the 2010s ensures that the next generation of punk and riot grrls are still alive. Above is a photo from one of their shows.
Something I really admire about Softcult is their DIY approach to music. In a music landscape where everything is highly commercialized and planned to the T, Softcult’s approach does not go unnoticed or unappreciated; they are diamonds in the rough of this industry. From doing their own production, editing, writing, to creating the zine called SCripture, another ode to the riot grrl movement.
Similarly, their mentality around merchandising is a refreshing stance I don’t hear from major artists often. The band state tells Messed Up Mag that if artists feel don’t feel like they have control, merchandising is a solid point to get involved in. Doing things like printing on organic fabric, in order to curb their carbon footprint, makes for a better product for the fan and has a smaller impact than cheaper fibres that don’t feel good against the skin.
It seems that anyone who has seen Softcult perform live knows all of these things I’ve written so far. I can’t wait to experience a Softcult show for myself. For Off the Record Press, Alex Stefan wrote,
“In a world where everything is toned down and made palatable for mass consumption, Softcult has no problem calling things exactly what they are, no matter how uncomfortable the conversation may be.”
Softcult is one of the most exciting bands that is coming up in Canada at the moment. They put their heart and soul into everything they do, and their hard work is certainly paying off.
Softcult’s new album, When a Flower Doesn’t Grow, is coming out on January 30, 2026. After several spectacular EPs, I’m so excited to listen to their first full length album. They’re also playing a show in Toronto the very same night!
Pre-save Softcult’s new album streaming platform below. You can also save it on your preferred listening platform.
Have you heard of Softcult? Are you going to their show, or have you been to one before? What other alternative Canadian bands should I check out?
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