Softcult’s debut era kicks off today: hear “16/25” ahead of January LP

SOFTCULT ANNOUNCE HIGHLY-ANTICIPATED DEBUT ALBUM, WHEN A FLOWER DOESN'T GROW OUT JANUARY 30, 2026 VIA EASY LIFE RECORDS NEW SONG "16/25" OUT TODAY HEADLINING U.S. TOUR KICKS OFF SEPTEMBER 19;  UK/EU DATES TO FOLLOW 1) Intro 2) Pill To Swallow 3) Naive 4) 16/25 5) She Said, He Said 6) Hurt Me 7) I Held You Like Glass 8) Queen Of Nothing 9) Tired! 10) Not Sorry 11) When A Flower Doesn’t Grow At their core, Softcult is a band with something to say—and every intention of saying it with their full chest. Now they embark on their most bold and vulnerable journey yet as the Ontario-based twins, Mercedes (she/her) and Phoenix (they/them) Arn-Horn, are set to release their highly-anticipated debut full-length, When A Flower Doesn’t Grow, on January 30, 2026.  Today Softcult shares “16/25,” a fearless song that confronts predatory older men that groom younger women, while exposing the double standards and impossible expectations placed on them by a patriarchal society. “It points out the cognitive dissonance men perpetuate while trying to possess and control younger women,” Mercedes says. SOFTCULT - ‘16/25’ (Official Music Video) When A Flower Doesn't Grow is a self-produced, self-recorded, and fiercely independent collection of songs that detail trauma to rebirth and transformation. Its title comes from a quote by Dutch author, Alexander Den Heijer: "when a flower doesn’t bloom, you fix the environment in which it grows, not the flower.”  For Mercedes, those words hit during one of the most pivotal moments of her life: ending a nine-year relationship, coming out as queer, and confronting the cycles of oppression she had been internalizing for years, despite being so outspoken about empowerment. “The person I portrayed myself to be on stage was not the same person making the decisions that governed my life,” she explains. “I was root bound. I was disappearing, shrinking, withering away… and I felt ashamed of it." As a result, this album is a conceptual work about the various stages of one’s own internal metamorphosis; written from the perspective of someone who has been radicalized by trauma, empowered by their own resilience, and who ultimately healed and blossomed into the person they were always meant to be. Photo: Kaylene Widdoes 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 a 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. U.S. TOUR WITH WAYSIDE: Fri Sept 19 – Buffalo, NY – Buffalo Iron Works Sat Sept 20 – Lakewood, OH – Mahall's Sun Sept 21 – Indianapolis, IN – Turntable Tues Sept 23 – St. Louis, MO – Blueberry Hill Duck Room Weds Sept 24 – Oklahoma City, OK – Resonant Head Fri Sept 26 – Dallas, TX – Club Dada Sat Sept 27 – Houston, TX – The Secret Group Sun Sept 28 – Austin, TX – Empire Control Room Tues Sept 30 – Santa Fe, NM – Tumbleroot Brewery & Distillery Thurs Oct 2 – Denver, CO – Marquis Fri Oct 3 – Salt Lake City, UT – Kilby Court Sun Oct 5 – Phoenix, AZ – The Rebel Lounge Mon Oct 6 – San Diego, CA – Voodoo Room @ House of Blues Weds Oct 8 – Santa Ana, CA – Constellation Room Fri Oct 10 – Los Angeles, CA – Echoplex Sat Oct 11 – San Francisco, CA – Bottom of the Hill Sun Oct 12 – Sacramento, CA – Harlow’s (The Starlet Room) Tues Oct 14 – Portland, OR – Mission Theater Weds Oct 15 – Seattle, WA – Madame Lou's Thurs Oct 16 – Vancouver, BC – The Pearl UK/EU HEADLINE TOUR: Mon Nov 17 – Berlin, DE – Badehaus Tues Nov 18 – Cologne, DE – Helios Weds Nov 19 – Haarlem, NL – Patronaat Thurs Nov 20 – Paris, FR – Supersonic Sat Nov 22 – Glasgow, UK – King Tut's Sun Nov 23 – Newcastle, UK – The Grove Mon Nov 24 – Manchester, UK – Manchester Academy 3 Tues Nov 25 – Nottingham, UK – The Bodega Thurs Nov 27 – Leeds, UK – The Key Club Fri Nov 28 – Cardiff, UK – Clwb Ifor Bach Sun Nov 30 – Southampton, UK – The Joiners Mon Dec 1 – Bristol, UK – Exchange Tues Dec 2 – London, UK – The Dome