Yes, they are twins, get over it. Next topic.
Yes, they are women, get over it. Next topic.
Mercedes (guitar/vocals) and Phoenix (drums/vocals) Arn-Horn are simply two creative and talented musicians with a powerful message to raise awareness and empower people.
If their Spotify numbers suddenly spiked, it may be my fault for having them on repeat. To quote Depeche Mode: I just can’t get enough.
Mercedes
The origin of the name Mercedes can either mean mercy/pity, or a reward. When asked which she identifies with most, her answer was “mercy & pity are the same thing. I like to think of it as being compassionate.”
Compassion is one quality that would become extinct, if it wasn’t for people like Mercedes who have the ability to walk in someone else’s shoes.
Phoenix
A mental picture of the Phoenix, rising from the ashes begs the question: What is one thing that Phoenix has overcome, rising from the ashes, so to speak?
“My mental health hasn’t always been the best, especially last year at the start of the pandemic when things were getting pretty scary and intense for everyone. I found myself going through a really rough time, mentally. Luckily, I pulled through and used a lot of the time that could have been bummer, sad, isolation time…to focus on creating music and learning about recording. I feel better for it, for sure.”
The wide smile on her face speaks volumes of the strength, not only to share such a story, but to rise above with renewed passion.
Rising From The Pandemic
Having a home studio was a refuge that sparked a creative energy for taking control of their sound, something they didn’t always have with their previous band.
Phoenix deep dived into production, while Mercedes focused on visuals.
Origin Story
It was the album Plans, when the girls were 10 or 11, that spoke to them deeply.
“Death Cab For Cutie was a band that we’ve loved since we were kids.” <Mercedes>
Reflecting back, they can appreciate Ben Gibbard’s lyrics and musicianship.
“His lyrics are really personal, relatable, but he also uses a lot of analogies and storytelling through imagery. I love that in lyrics. Musically, especially on guitar, it’s so emotional and has so many dynamics. To this day, that is still such a huge influence for us.” shares Mercedes.
Phoenix remembers “listening to so much Alexisonfire. Jordan Hastings is still probably my favorite drummers ever. His parts are so creative and the way he plays them are so cool.”
The girls would practice harmonies to Crisis in the car, “trying to sing along with Dallas”, Phoenix emphasizes “trying”.
“We used to annoy our dad so much because he would drive us to our studio sessions, and we would just be harmonizing with everything.” <Mercedes>
Their dad would say: “Why can’t you just listen to the song?”
UberDad was the MVP in their early career, supporting their chosen path.
Movie Career
Is it a surprise that twin sisters have twin IMBD credits?
“We did do some acting, as kids into our early teens”, admits Phoenix.
“The screenshots haunt us to this very day!” <Mercedes>
“They are floating on the internet and it’s pretty terrifying, to be honest.” <Phoenix>
Doing projects together in film, simply led to this symbiotic relationship that would overlap into their music projects.
“It’s not surprising that in terms of our professional careers, we have always been doing things together.” <Mercedes>
Yes, there are the occasional fights that close family ties can bring, but as Phoenix explains, it doesn’t last very long.
Even when it comes to creative differences, “we always resolve it and work it out.” <Mercedes>
Both know the ghosts of each other’s past, so being vulnerable comes easier. There is nothing to hide from, and there is no ego to get in the way of the creative process.
“You have less of a filter.” <Mercedes>
Courage My Love
Their early experience with the music industry created a situation where they had to change their music to fit the industry mold.
“We were grinding away on that band for ten years.”, explains Mercedes.
They started the band barely as teenagers, touring and got interest from some major labels.
“It was really exciting, but the longer we were in it, the more we wanted to try and push our own boundaries…or just do weirder, more alternative music that we really liked. There was a lot of clashing on the creative side with our label.” <Mercedes>
Because of the rejection they were getting, trying to get a track played on the radio, they were forced, creatively, to create music that would fit the mold for Canadian radio play.
“Just to be able to release anything at all, we have to give them what they wanted. We were just writing and guessing what they wanted, instead of doing what we wanted to do.” <Mercedes>
Softcult
Not wanting to ever be in that situation again, they formed Softcult, which would allow them to find their own voice, musically, without constraints.
From the visuals, to creating music in their home studio, the girls finally had full control of their sound.
“It paid off. I feel more connected to it personally.” <Mercedes>
They are not afraid to shine a light on dark topics that might have been considered taboo at one time.
“If we would have heard those topics in a song when we were younger, it would have meant a lot. Being able to write about that stuff and hopefully find people that when they hear, they can relate to it, and it hits home. That’s what it’s all about.” <Phoenix>
“Lately, we have been focused on gender violence & abusive relationships issues. If we raise awareness on these things, the red flags to look out for, then hopefully, the goal is that whoever is listening to it will have these tools that our generation wished we had.” <Mercedes>
How many lives could have been saved, if the red flags were exposed much earlier, but like the saying goes: The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The second-best time is now.
“That’s our goal, to raise awareness & empower people.”
Girls To The Front
Kathleen Hanna is known for making it safe for girls to come to the front of a punk show and let them experience the music up close. They could now participate in the music, and not be bystanders at the back of the room.
That was a revolutionary stance, that helped create a safe place for women to enjoy live music.
“Feminism is not just for women. Everyone can be a Feminist.” <Phoenix>
“If we exclude men from Feminism, then the same issues will just keep popping up over and over again and it won’t go anywhere. It needs to be an inclusive scene.” <Mercedes>
To make the music scene safer, it begins with the “education to look out for each other”, shares Mercedes.
She continues that a big problem in the UK is the spiking of drinks with the “date rape” drug.
Being aware and having a buddy system will help protect oneself from the predators that unfortunately live among us.
Softcult are hyperaware about having safe shows.
“If we see any sketchy stuff go down, we are just going to stop the show and call it out. It’s a zero-tolerance policy for anything like that.” <Mercedes>
“In the wake of Astroworld, people need to be more OK with stopping shows if it gets out of hand or violent.” <Phoenix>
BWBB
During the filming of BWBB, the band did get a visit by the police.
“It wasn’t surprising. We were wearing masks and we have weapons. They weren’t real weapons, they just looked real.” <Mercedes>
Probably the car that stopped, hit reverse quickly, and turned down the street called 911, thinking something was brewing.
What was brewing was the fact that the age-old excuse “boys will be boys” just isn’t going to cut it anymore.
Spit It Out
The song is about rejecting harmful ideologies.
What is the biggest lie in the music industry that needs to be spat out?
“From personal experience, being a woman in the industry, there is always a lot of pressure to trust this circle but not this other one. Planting these seeds that they just want to work with you because they want to sleep with you. While it’s important to be aware of that, you have to own your talent sometimes, and not write everything off as it’s because I’m female and they are probably attracted to me. It just minimizes who you are and what you do.” <Mercedes>
Mercedes adds that it’s the best way to shut down the haters. Instead of focusing on the outward appearance, she suggests: “Just let the music do the talking.”
For Phoenix, “in the past, people couldn’t speak out about certain things for fear of getting blacklisted. The roots go so deep, like in any industry. You are always scared to piss off the people at the top, because you don’t want them to get in the way of your future.”
“You have a platform you can use for good, so you should use it”, adds Mercedes.
As we saw recently, the floodgates of secrecy burst open on the so-called boys club and their despicable actions.
Those that didn’t speak up were complicit in the crimes and failed in their responsibility to protect the vulnerable and those without a voice.
Mercedes goes on to suggest that if a headliner, while bringing in a crowd, might be a risk to some fans, why support that?
As Phoenix explains, money is always a convenient excuse to bury such a risk.
Perfect Blue
In the song, a person is so changed, that they are only recognizable because of their blue eyes.
When asked which characteristic is completely you, the girls chose to answer what they felt was the overlying characteristic of each other.
“Phoenix is, and has always been, so fiercely loyal. If you are one of their friends, they will fight for you to the death. They will stand by you, stand up for you. You (speaking to Phoenix) find this strength for other people that you don’t always give to yourself all the time. Since we were little toddlers, it’s always been that way.” <Mercedes>
“Growing up queer, having weird comments thrown at me. I’ve always had my sister have my back, never felt like I was going through the world alone is the beauty of being a twin.” <Phoenix>
In the video, the scars are under the outer skin. People will sometimes create this hardened shell to protect their wounds, but yet, unless these are exposed, they can never fully heal.
“That is a trauma thing. Someone who is traumatized will tend to hide that stuff and repress it. It always comes out, eventually, so the sooner you can process it, deal with it, and get it out of your life, the sooner you can move on. Unfortunately, that not what usually happens. It takes a while to process these things. It’s kind of working under the surface while you are pretending everything is fine.”
The reality is that many take decision, often bad ones, based on past trauma, or their past selves.
If you can shine a light on that past trauma, you can reframe it, and extract meaning from it.
Maybe you have become a more emphatic person because of surviving something.
Maybe you have more resilience.
It’s good to extract that, and then think of your future self, the person you wish to become, and start taking decisions based on that future self.
Only then, can you change into that version you wish to become, and break the cycle.
“That’s a way to make it mean something positive, and not just have a negative impact. It’s a good way of processing it. A lot of times, these patterns will keep continuing.” <Mercedes>
Mercedes gives the example of ending a bad relationship, but the next one will have someone with the same qualities as that bad relationship. You are trying to resolve the same situation with a different outcome. That’s how people can get stuck in this pattern that just continues.” <Mercedes>
Baroque
When Mercedes was asked in school what Baroque was, she replied something to the effect of someone without money.
Her classmates believed she was being the class clown, and why not believe that version of events.
Classic answer.
Fantasy Rock Band
When asked to build the ultimate band, here was their choices:
Singer: Björk
Guitar: Kevin Shields (My Bloody Valentine) + Jonny Greenwood (Radiohead)
Bass: Nick Harmer (Death Cab For Cutie)
Drums: Dave Grohl. The girls were born the year Kurt died. “It’s so weird to feel a connection to something before you were born.”
What I get from their choices is a Punk backbone, with some Shoegaze atmosphere along with the quirkiness of Björk.
While I don’t hear Björk in the sound of Softcult, I definitely feel that courage to do what feels right for them.
In the end, Softcult are all about tackling the big topics, fearless and brave, and ready to prove their musicianship against any and all who dare contest their talent.
They have trusted their voice, and I for one, can feel that authenticity that bleeds through the music.
It’s hard when it needs to be, soft when it needs to be, but ultimately, it’s their choice, and they have nothing to prove anymore. They simply rock!
Year of The Snake
The new EP will be out February 4th, 2022.
UK Tour
Connect with Softcult
Website
Instagram
Twitter
Facebook
Writer: Randal Wark is a Professional Speaker and MasterMind Facilitator with a passion for live music. You can follow him on Instagram, Twitter and YouTube. His Podcast RockStar Today helps musicians quit their day jobs with out-of-the-box advice from Ted Talk Speakers, Best Selling Authors and other interesting Entrepreneurs and Creatives. He created the Rock Star Today MasterMind Experience for musicians. Randal also is a collector of signed vinyl.
Share this :
