Merel Bechtold is a Dutch guitar player for the band Dear Mother. She is also known for previous gigs with Delain, MaYan, Purest of Pain and The Gentle Storm.

She started playing guitar at the age of 15, and shortly after her first band Purest of Pain. In 2013 Purest of Pain released the single Momentum and one year after they played at Wacken Open Air in Germany. A great start for Merels career!

In 2012 Merel played her first guest shows with Delain and in 2014 she was asked to replace Isaac Delahaye in MaYan, who strongly believed in her guitars skills and motivation. After two shows Merel became a permanent member of the band.

In the spring of 2014 Merel was asked by Anneke van Giersbergen to join a project she started with Arjan Lucassen (Ayreon) called 'The Gentle Storm'. In 2015 she toured Europe with both Delain and The Gentle Storm and played big European metal festivals in 2016.

In 2017 Merel signed an endorsement deal with VanderMeij Guitars and used a sevenstring Magistra on Delains headline tour in the United States and Canada.

In 2020 Merel launched her band Dear Mother.