On their powerful debut album When A Flower Doesn’t Grow, Softcult – the Ontario-based sibling duo of Mercedes and Phoenix Arn-Horn – deliver their most unflinching and transformative work to date. Written during a period of personal upheaval and self-discovery, the record traces a path through trauma, disillusionment, empowerment, and eventual liberation. The title itself comes from a quote that struck Mercedes at a pivotal moment: “When a flower doesn’t bloom, you fix the environment in which it grows, not the flower.” That perspective threads through the album’s ten tracks, which explore cycles of oppression, abuse, and conformity, while championing the courage it takes to break free. “The truth is, nothing can thrive in an environment where it is stifled,” Mercedes reflects. “We can’t flourish in environments that are oppressive. We need the world around us to be an environment that encourages us to grow.”
Musically, Softcult continue to expand their rich blend of grunge, shoegaze, and alt-rock textures, weaving fuzz-laden riffs and dreamy soundscapes with raw, confessional lyricism. The result is both intimate and universal: a record for anyone who has ever felt trapped or diminished by their surroundings, and a rallying cry to nurture ourselves and each other in the pursuit of freedom and authenticity.
The album follows last year’s acclaimed Heaven EP, which flipped the concept of an afterlife on its head, critiquing a culture fixated on the future while ignoring the urgent need for change in the present. That release saw the duo land the cover of Spotify’s MARROW playlist (over 4.7 million followers) and embark on tours across North America, the UK, Europe, Australia, and Southeast Asia. Along the way they’ve won fans in artists like Hayley Williams and Bring The Horizon’s Oli Sykes, opened for Incubus and MUSE, and earned praise from outlets including Stereogum, BrooklynVegan, Paste, Consequence, Alternative Press, Kerrang!, CBC, The Gay Times and more.
Born in the studio and committed to carving out their own universe, Softcult embody a fiercely DIY ethos. Phoenix handles production, engineering, and artwork, while Mercedes writes, produces, directs, and edits their deeply personal and impactful videos. Together they create and distribute their monthly zine SCripture and remain deeply engaged with their community through the Softcult Discord server. Their music and message are constant reminders that the revolution is very much alive – proof that true liberation begins when we change the environment and allow ourselves, and each other, to grow.
