Mariel Buckley keeps winning

Fresh off her Juno win, Mariel Buckley joins the podcast to pull back the curtain on the reality of being a successful indie artist in 2026. We trace her journey from Calgary “rent gigs” playing country covers to recording in Nashville with Ruston Kelly’s producer, Jarrad K.

Mariel is refreshingly candid about the “stubbornness” required to maintain her artistic identity in a business that loves labels. We discuss the intentional production shifts in her music – incorporating indie rock and synth-country influences – and the personal reckonings that fueled her latest record. Beyond the music, Mariel reflects on overcoming scarcity mindsets, the power of sibling harmonies with her brother T. Buckley, and why “making it” is less about viral streams and more about earning the respect of her peers and heroes like Kathleen Edwards. It’s an honest look at the hustle, the heartbreak, and the ultimate recommitment to the craft.