Community Highlights: Meet Kristin Engineer of MotoGirl Music LLC

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristin Engineer

Hi Kristin, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I’ve arrived at this moment in my music career through a winding and unique path. As a classically trained oboist, I earned my BA in Music Performance from the University of Wyoming, with dreams of joining the New York Philharmonic. Alongside that aspiration, I was deeply interested in ethnomusicology and the music of diverse cultures. However, due to performance-related injuries, my journey took a different turn. Throughout it all, I was consistently writing songs and recording music, which became a steady thread in my life.

I spent many years as a music educator in the Bay Area, teaching an eclectic curriculum rooted in Orff-Schulwerk pedagogy. This approach allowed me to help children discover their inner musician through singing, dancing, creating, composing, and playing instruments in an imaginative and joyful way. During this period, I wrote four albums of music, serving as the main songwriter and vocalist for the groups I worked with.

In 2020, a pivotal moment in my teaching career led me to focus on my artist work, giving it the time and spotlight it deserved. I immersed myself in the world of sync licensing and launched MotoGirl Music, a business born from my art. Recognizing that measurable success required strategic focus, I decided to write for TV, film, and advertisements. I dedicated myself to mastering the art of crafting compelling dance-pop hooks, spending the last four years building connections across the industry.

In addition to running MotoGirl Music as the sole owner, songwriter, and executive producer, I consult with other artists, helping them navigate the business side of their work and the intricacies of sync licensing. My team includes Ava King, our talented producer, who creates outstanding tracks for vocalist Sophie Gold. Together, we’ve built a diverse portfolio of work featured in HBO Max series, Toyota and Target ads, and Netflix shows, among others.

Currently, I balance my business with my role as the Director of Performing Arts at Hillbrook School, a progressive JK-12th grade private school that prioritizes critical thinking and collaboration. Based across campuses in Los Gatos and San Jose in the Bay Area, I oversee all performing arts events, drawing on the skills I’ve developed throughout my career in teaching, music creation, business, and leadership. This dual role allows me to seamlessly integrate my passions for education and the arts.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The trajectory of my career has been far from smooth, but every turn, change, and challenge has been instrumental in building the skills and resilience that brought me to where I am today. I’ve faced and overcome many obstacles that could have broken me, but I chose to use those moments as opportunities to grow stronger. From the age of 16, I took care of myself while enduring over a decade in an emotionally abusive relationship. Through therapy and the process of creating songs and music, I was able to navigate and rise above each crisis I faced.

Through my consultancy, I aim to help other women find their voices through their art and steer clear of the toxic situations that can arise in the music industry. Artists in this country, especially, face challenges in making a living and maintaining the self-confidence to believe that simply creating art makes them worthy. We endure incredible highs and lows, often juggling a diverse array of responsibilities just to stay afloat financially. Women, in particular, struggle to be seen and heard in this industry, and I’m determined to be a positive force for change in this regard.

I strive to create that change by running the best business I can and empowering others. I’m committed to teaching women, women-identifying individuals, and underrepresented groups—including LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC creators—how to run strong, confident businesses and become influential leaders in the industry.

As you know, we’re big fans of MotoGirl Music LLC. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
MotoGirl Music is a unique pop production house specializing in music for TV, film, advertising, and promos. We are woman- and LGBTQIA+-owned, offering mainstream dance pop and electro-pop, as well as authentic French pop and music with a Latin flair. At MotoGirl Music, I serve as the owner, executive music producer, songwriter, topliner, and artist consultant. Our producer teams from around the globe create a catalog of radio-ready tracks and are available for custom work tailored to advertising and brand needs. Our songs have been featured in Netflix and HBO Max shows, including The Sex Lives of College Girls, and in ads for major brands like Toyota and Target.

MotoGirl Music welcomes all creators but is dedicated to uplifting underrepresented voices, including women, women-identifying individuals, non-binary, LGBTQIA+, and BIPOC creators.

The Creative Artist Consultancy division of MotoGirl Music supports creators in advancing their careers and navigating the complexities of the music industry at every level. Through personalized, one-on-one sessions, we offer a wide range of services: project management (artist development), refining the craft of music-making (songwriting, executive production), navigating the business side (sync licensing, contracts), and building valuable connections (networking).

The sign on the MotoGirl Music garage is turned to OPEN—for coaching, consulting, creating catchy pop hooks and providing a catalog of songs to elevate your project or brand.

Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
Manifesting the life I want to live is a central part of my life and business. If I relied solely on “luck,” I might not feel the same obligation to work as hard as is necessary to make my dream life a reality. I deeply believe in the universe and its desire for us to be happy, fulfilled humans. What you focus on becomes your reality, and what you truly desire will be yours—as long as you believe it’s possible.

I choose to focus my thoughts on the goals I want to achieve, the people I want to surround me, and the life I want to live, while remaining open to how these things come into my life. It never unfolds exactly as I plan, but I’m learning to trust and embrace the how. Hard work and intention are essential to achieving what we want. We need to match the energy we wish to attract.

If we say, “That will never happen,” it won’t. But if we say, “I am this right now,” or “I have this right now,” it manifests into our reality.

Pricing:

• Contact us for a complimentary call/20 minutes
• [email protected]

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.motogirlmusic.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/motogirlmusic/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/motogirlmusic-kristinengineer/
• Youtube: @motogirlmusic591
• Other: https://pro.imdb.com/name/nm15218005?ref_=nm_nv_usr_profile

Image Credits
Jeffrey Gray