Softcult

Twin siblings Phoenix and Mercedes Arn-Horn (born 1994)^[2] grew up in Toronto, Ontario, and were home-schooled by their mother, an English teacher.^[3] Prior to forming Softcult, the Arn-Horn siblings were members of the pop-punk band Courage My Love, which released several EPs and two studio albums throughout the 2010s.^[4][5] Feeling creatively stifled by their record label, the Arn-Horn siblings decided to disband Courage My Love and begin a new project together in the summer of 2020.^[3][6] The band chose the name Softcult, which Mercedes Arn-Horn defined as "anything that you don’t really question where you follow your group of people", to represent the band's "social commentary".^[7] The band's debut single, "Another Bish", was released on January 15, 2021.^[8][9]

On April 16, 2021, Softcult released their first EP, Year of the Rat, through Easy Life Records.^[7][10][11] The duo's second EP, Year of the Snake, "encompasses our feelings towards the cutthroat capitalist society we live in and the problems that need to be addressed".^[12][13] One of the EP's songs, "B.W.B.B.", was written in response to the murder of Sarah Everard in March 2021.^[13] Their third EP, See You in the Dark, was released on March 24, 2023, and was inspired by My Bloody Valentine and the Cocteau Twins.^[6][14][15] The EP received a Juno Award nomination for Alternative Album of the Year award at the Juno Awards of 2024.^[16][17] On May 24, 2024, the band released their fourth EP, Heaven.^[18]

On April 25, 2025, the band released the single "Pill to Swallow" ahead of their first full-length album, When a Flower Doesn't Grow.

Softcult have been described as grunge,^[19] alternative rock,^[20] lo-fi^[2] and shoegaze.^[4] The Arn-Horn siblings were inspired by the 1990s riot grrrl culture, and have cited Bikini Kill, Bratmobile and Pussy Riot as formative influences on the band.^[7][21] They cited My Bloody Valentine's Loveless (1991), Slowdive's Souvlaki (1993), Swervedriver's Mezcal Head (1993) and Deftones' White Pony (2000) as influences on their fourth EP Heaven.^[22]

Since February 2021,^[23] Softcult has published a monthly zine, SCripture. which discusses environmental, social and political issues.^[24][25] The zine was directly inspired by 1990s riot grrrl culture, and features a black-and-white aesthetic inspired by Raymond Pettibon.^[22][26] Phoenix says that the zine "kind of [reinforces] the message behind [their] songs."^[27]

• Mercedes Arn-Horn – vocals, guitar
• Phoenix Arn-Horn – vocals, drums, production

Touring members^[17][28]

• Brent McSwiggan – lead guitar (2022–present)
• Phil Hirst – bass (2023–present)
• Oliver Burdett – bass (2022–2023)^[29][30]