Michelle Engel of Amazon Music on Working With Bad Bunny and Creating Authentic Connections

Plus: Bringing Lilith Fair to Life and her work with Formula 1

Michelle Engel is the global head of brand marketing at Amazon Music, where she leads global brand strategy and marketing initiatives that connect artists, culture, and audiences through innovative storytelling and partnerships. 

At Amazon Music, her work spans global brand campaigns, artist collaborations, and major cultural moments. These include Amazon Music Live, large-scale livestream events such as Bad Bunny’s No Me Quiero Ir de Aquí: Una Más performance from Puerto Rico, plus cross-company initiatives that connect music with sports, entertainment and original content. 

We spent two minutes with Michelle to learn more about her background, her creative inspirations and recent work she’s admired.

Michelle, tell us…

Where you grew up, and where you live now.

I was born in Ft. Worth and raised in Atlanta. My career took me to multiple cities in Florida, Boston, Portland (Oregon), and back to Atlanta for the last 20 years.

How you first realized you were creative.

When I ran for class president in eighth grade, I didn’t realize I was getting my first lesson in marketing. I created a campaign logo based on a guitar and a song, and I plastered the middle school with merch with that logo on it—unintentionally building a brand that would continue with me all through high school. That was the moment I realized my creativity and marketing instincts could combine with my passion for music to create authentic connections with people.

Your earliest musical memory.

I have two older brothers who were very into music when I was young. I have a distinct memory of hearing Eric Clapton’s “Wonderful Tonight” coming from my brother Mark’s room and hearing the lyric “…brushing her long blonde hair.” I was immediately convinced the song was about me (and my long blonde hair). My parents didn’t believe their 4-year-old would really want an Eric Clapton album, so they had me skip my favorite TV show—The Muppet Show—for two weeks in a row to prove how much I wanted it. I earned that album and I love it to this day.

A person you idolized creatively early on.

I was lucky enough to work closely with Nettwerk and the team that brought Lilith Fair to life in the ’90s. At the time, the idea of an all-female festival was truly hard to comprehend. Watching Sarah McLachlan stand firm on her vision for both the fan and the artist experience for the festival was inspiring. And it fundamentally changed how I understood the music business could work. I was in awe of her backbone and what she risked for her creative vision.

A moment from high school or college that changed your life.

I went to the University of Florida where they had one of only two 100,000-watt commercial radio stations on a college campus in the U.S. This was not a traditional college radio station with a box of records and a two-hour shift once a week. This was a real radio station that ran commercials, got Nielsen ratings, and had full-time DJs. The program director, Harry Guscott, took a chance on me and not only gave me a shift, but entrusted me with the afternoon drive slot and the role of music director. I met with label reps, managed ratings books and quite literally served as the on-air voice for North Florida. That experience set me up for a job right out of college in my dream field. The chance Harry took on me launched my career in radio and set the foundation for my work in music and marketing.

A visual artist or band/musician you admire.

This answer changes often. There are plenty of artists that I admire, but after seeing Lady Gaga in Berlin on her Mayhem Ball tour, I would be remiss not to call her out. The tour is theatrical, cinematic, and emotional. Despite the scale of the production, she forged an intimate, unmistakable connection with the audience, and when she closed the show raw, without makeup, and hand in hand with her team, it brought me to tears. She pours herself into both her performance and her fans, leaving you feeling less like an audience member and more like a friend.

One of your favorite creative projects you’ve ever worked on.

Amazon Music became the first music streaming service to sponsor a Formula 1 team through its collaboration with the Alpine Formula 1 Race Team. Our goal was to authentically connect music and sports and to amplify the moment that F1 was having in pop culture. We brought artists to races and created unique social content with them. The most memorable moment was when we took Benson Boone to the Mexico City Grand Prix and made a music video with F1 driver Pierre Gasley in one day. That video became our most viewed piece of social content of all time. We also had artists design a driver’s helmet for the Canadian Grand Prix, Lainey Wilson changing tires in Austin, and much more. The quality of the content and the impact of the collaboration make it the most meaningful project in my career so far.

A recent project you’re proud of. 

In 2025, Amazon Music collaborated with Bad Bunny to bring Puerto Rico to a global audience. The collaboration began with a livestream of the final night of his historic No Me Quiero Ir de Aquí residency, giving fans around the world front-row access to a defining cultural moment and becoming the most-watched single-artist livestream in Amazon Music history. We also released an exclusive Bad Bunny vinyl tied to the residency, extending the experience for fans beyond the performance itself. Most importantly, the collaboration launched a multi-year initiative between Amazon and Bad Bunny focused on supporting Puerto Rico through programs spanning education, technology access, economic development, and community investment—using the scale of Amazon to celebrate the island’s culture while creating meaningful, long-term impact.

Someone else’s work that inspired you years ago. 

I have always loved Dove’s “Real Beauty” campaign. It launched 21 years ago and rings true even more today.

Someone else’s work you admired lately. 

I’ve always admired what Uber Eats has done with its NFL partnership. By centering the campaign on football and food, they created a “can’t miss” cultural moment, with celebrity partners whose genuine enthusiasm makes the campaign feel authentic. That’s not easy to achieve—paid partnerships with national sports leagues often struggle with attribution or risk feeling forced if the connection isn’t real.

One thing about how the music world is evolving that you’re excited about.

Because of the always on nature of music streaming and access to artists via social media, we are in a beautiful moment where audiences discover music without genre constraints. Gen Z has erased the need for genre and normalized music of all kinds living and playing together naturally. I love hearing Goose, next to Sabrina Carpenter, next to Red Clay Strays, next to Tyler, the Creator. I think the freedom of music without boundaries is refreshing and brings the focus back to the art.

Your biggest strength as a creative person.

I think about the customer first—where they are, what they’re thinking about, and what they’re dealing with. Creative for the sake of creative doesn’t always land for the brand. Creative designed to connect with the customer will always land.

Someone worth following on social media.

I really love when artists we admire manage their own accounts and share real feelings. I love following female athletes that are taking us with them on their journey like Ilhona Maher (U.S. Rugby). Pedro Pescal is using his platform for good, and I trust that he is the one updating his socials. I am also enjoying the evolution of Amy Poehler into a podcaster; the clips she shares on social are joyful. 

A mentor who helped you navigate the industry.

We have mentors during different seasons of our career. I look to people that ground me, remind me of what matters in life, and why we are doing what we do. Rather than traditional mentors, I look for people who can serve as personal “board members,” offering guidance and advocating for my success much like a business. The most constant and impactful mentor I’ve had is Cameo Carlson, the CEO of mTheory. I’ve always grateful for her insights and advice. I don’t know where I’d be without her. 

How you’re paying it forward with the next generation of creatives.

I have been doing what I do for a long time. My favorite part of my job is managing people and helping them find their superpowers. My role isn’t just to manage day-to-day performance, but to help set people up for their future success. I encourage my team to approach their current role like a master’s program, with an ongoing curriculum that creates a sense of continuous growth, even during periods when it may not feel obvious.

What you’d be doing if you weren’t in the music industry.

I would be a career/executive coach. I love unpacking people’s path and helping them get to where they want to be. I love teaching people to see themselves through other people’s eyes. And if not that… I would be a CMO of an F1 racing team!