Mary Spender epitomizes the modern independent artist—writing, recording, and releasing her music directly to a global community without labels or middlemen. With over 100 million views and 780,000+ subscribers on YouTube, she has built one of the most engaged audiences in the music space.
Her ethos is simple: independence doesn’t mean isolation. Mary has cultivated a movement of musicians and fans who believe in a fairer, more sustainable model for music, funding her projects directly through Patreon and community support.
As a songwriter and guitarist, Mary blends Blues, Rock, Folk, and Americana into a timeless sound—her sultry, jazz-influenced voice and intricate fingerstyle guitar at the heart of it. In 2021, she went viral after preemptively writing and recording John Mayer’s Last Train Home from a short Instagram teaser, a moment that won Mayer’s personal recognition.
Her 2022 double album Songbook Volumes 1 & 2 was fully fan-funded, leading to sold-out shows in London and Bristol. The following year, she released her debut studio album Super. Sexy. Heartbreak.—a project that deliberately prioritized vinyl and CD over streaming to challenge the economics of modern music. Produced in Barcelona with Pau Romero, the record features Aaron Sterling (John Mayer, Regina Spektor), Sean Hurley (Lana Del Rey, Gwen Stefani), and Ariel Posen.
After a headline UK tour in 2024, Mary is now preparing Songbook Volumes 3 & 4, a double acoustic album due in 2026, alongside further international touring.
Beyond her own music, Mary has become a trusted educator and documentarian. Her accessible breakdowns of classics by Dire Straits, Fleetwood Mac, and Tracy Chapman are some of her most popular videos, while her feature-length documentaries The Rise and Fall of Led Zeppelin and The Dire Straits Story are available exclusively on Nebula.
PAST PRESS
Guitar World/Guitarist Magazine (Words by Jamie Dickson & David Mead)
“She’s one of the most dynamic, expressive young British singer-songwriters working today - and also just happens to have an army of fans for her YouTube musings on guitar culture… Mary Spender is among the most successful of a new generation of musicians who blend music-making with shrewd, engaging commentary - sharing both with 200,000 fans via YouTube. Blending aspects of Joni Mitchell’s confessional songwriting style with a harmonically rich, percussive style on the electric guitar that’s bolder and more contemporary, she’s a galvanic and richly emotive player.”
The 8 best online guitar personalities in the world today
“British YouTuber Mary Spender’s channel is a vibrant mixture of covers, gear demos and soulful, blues-y folk rock originals that evoke the likes of Jeff Buckley. Her technique (on guitar and vocal) is impressive, yet her videos – whether exploring the quietest room on earth, or struggling to nail John Mayer’s Georgia – are unassuming, funny and super encouraging.”
“With a powerful voice and distinctive electric guitar style, the Vigier-toting UK songwriter has conquered YouTube, played Nashville’s famous Bluebird Cafe, and played with a host of big-name acts along the way. Now, as she embarks on her first headline UK tour, she tells us about the secrets behind her unconventional success…