Chang may have started her music career late which is not really a customary thing in the band scene, but it does not mean her credentials do not tell much. Before luck knocked on her door, Chang did back up vocal chores for senior reggae bands Eurasia, Cocojam, and Tropical Depression. Chang has Sampaguita, Coritha, Lolita Carbon, and many others as contemporaries and chums. She even tried folk singing in the ‘70s as it was the trend there, but her heart is really on "roots, rock, reggae", as they call it. She waited patiently for her moment to shine in her own 10-member reggae band. How did she get into reggae music? It was mainly because of her partner in band and life, Rene "Chong" Tengasantos. But that’s another story.

In the ‘90s, female voices in the local reggae scene only served as back up, the lead was always a male. The women were given only a few lines to hum and more often, they were mere added "decoration" on stage. These days, there are sprouting reggae acts with women on lead vocals. And for Reggae Mistress, not only one but four singing ladies take centerstage! Chang is joined by daughter Irene, Ira Penalosa, and Katrina Johnston, inspired by Jamaican icon Bob Marley’s back up, the I Threes.

Now in the Pinoy reggae scene, some call it the island music, Chang is getting the tag of "reggae mama" of the country and she likes it, saying that the band has professed to spread one love, one heart, one soul through their music anyways. So if she’s going to be the caring mother of the scene, so be it. Their independent album, "The Sisthas are Doin’ It", not only has the reggae beat but Chang says it’s also a mixture of soul, jazz, blues, and rock and roll. The album, originally released in November last year and now being distributed by SonyBMG, has 12 all-original tracks mostly penned by Chang. One of which is its carrier single "Kaibigan", now enjoying good airplay at mainstream FM stations and even at the two giant TV networks.

Asked how Chang is as a mother to her daughter/bandmate Irene, the soft-spoken girl replied: "Actually, si mama shy type pero sobrang cool. Open s’ya sa lahat, at her age connected pa din s’ya sa youth of today."

She is proud of her mom and the album as both pose positive vibes to her life. As proof of their commitment to positivity, Reggae Mistress performs in the post-Mother’s Day show of the Feminine Force Group on Sat., May 20, at Kolumn, Timog, where mother-led bands and indie female directors will be empowered by showcasing their talents in music and film, respectively. The band regularly plays at Xaymaca on Wednesdays, Café Havana Malate on Thursdays, and Café Havana Greenbelt on Sundays.