SOFTCULT DROP NEW MUSIC VIDEO
Ontario-based modern grunge sibling duo Softcult have unveiled the official music video for their latest track, ‘I Held You Like Glass.’ The song is featured on their critically acclaimed debut full-length album, When A Flower Doesn’t Grow, which is available now through Easy Life Records.
Reflecting on the meaning behind the new single, vocalist Mercedes Arn-Horn explains, “We wrote “i held you like glass” about the processing and letting go of unhealed trauma. The lyrics describe how it feels to internalize the dynamics of toxic relationships, comparing loving people that hurt us to holding broken glass; continuously wounding us until we let go. Over time we slowly grow numb to the discomfort until it feels normal.” Expanding on the visual concept created for the accompanying music video, Mercedes further elaborates, “We wanted to use the broken glass analogy visually as well, slowly revealing the extent of our injuries until they become too severe to ignore.”
On their deeply resonant debut album When A Flower Doesn’t Grow, the Ontario-based sibling duo Softcult, comprising Mercedes and Phoenix Arn-Horn, present what is undeniably their most unflinching and transformative artistic statement so far. Crafted during a turbulent period marked by intense personal upheaval and self-discovery, the project charts a vivid narrative arc through trauma, disillusionment, empowerment, and ultimate liberation. The album's core theme stems directly from a quote that profoundly resonated with Mercedes during a crucial turning point: “When a flower doesn’t bloom, you fix the environment in which it grows, not the flower.” This core philosophical concept is seamlessly woven throughout the record’s ten tracks, dissecting systemic cycles of oppression, abuse, and forced conformity while celebrating the immense strength required to break away. “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.”
From a sonic standpoint, Softcult aggressively push the boundaries of their signature sound, layering guitar riffs and ethereal, dreamy atmospheric soundscapes alongside raw, vulnerable lyricism. This sophisticated combination of modern grunge, shoegaze, and alternative rock elements crafts a listening experience that feels simultaneously hyper-intimate and universally accessible. It stands as a poignant refuge for anyone who has ever felt suffocated or diminished by their immediate surroundings, offering an empowering rally cry to cultivate self-compassion, community care, and unyielding authenticity.
This groundbreaking release builds upon the momentum of last year's widely praised Heaven EP, a body of work that challenged conventional ideas of the afterlife while critiquing a society obsessed with future promises at the expense of real-world, present-day action. That previous era saw the band claim the cover spot on Spotify’s massive MARROW playlist (boasting over 4.7 million followers) and launch extensive global headline and support tours spanning North America, the UK, Europe, Australia, and Southeast Asia. Along the journey, they earned high-profile endorsements from notable peers like Hayley Williams and Bring Me The Horizon’s Oli Sykes, shared major stages opening for rock icons Incubus and MUSE, and garnered critical praise from top-tier publications such as Stereogum, BrooklynVegan, Paste, Consequence, Alternative Press, Kerrang!, CBC, and The Gay Times.
Formed with a uncompromising creative foundation, Softcult continue to embody a fiercely independent, self-driven DIY approach to every element of their career. Phoenix leads the charge behind the scenes by overseeing all production, audio engineering, and visual artwork, while Mercedes crafts the songwriting, production, direction, and editing for all of their emotionally charged music videos. Beyond the music, the pair personally publish and distribute their monthly physical zine, SCripture, while maintaining a close, active connection with their fanbase through the dedicated Softcult Discord server. Through both their art and their overarching ethos, Softcult serve as a constant reminder that meaningful movement is thriving, proving that true personal and collective liberation begins when we reshape our surroundings to let ourselves, and those around us, finally flourish.
