This transformation left some fans feeling betrayed. On Internet bulletin boards, fans wrote that the intimacy they once felt towards her had vanished. Some said that they had once been like a goddess in a secret religion, but now everyone had access to Chang and her music. Some are afraid that commercial pressures will tarnish the essence of her music.
"My music will not be changed. It shouldn't be labeled just because of the way it is published," Chang said.
When asked how she felt about interacting with mainstream media, her response was blunt. "Painful," she said. "I'm shy. I don't like to talk too much about myself."
Her shyness and lack of self-assurance are also manifested in the 20 or more bracelets she wears, mostly given to her by friends. These trademark ornaments ease her tension and give her a sense of security, and she never removes them. One was a gift from her first boyfriend.
Chang is a regular at Witch House (
"When I left home ... I worked at a restaurant as waitress, then I sang songs at Witch House to make a living," Chang said.
At a time when the "whole world" didn't recognize her, music was her only refuge. "I escaped to the world of music." Since the age of 19, she has written more than 100 songs, she says, adding that her debut album contains only a tiny fraction of the songs she's written.
As singer, guitarist and songwriter, Chang's image is similar to that of Cheer Chen (
Now, on the cusp of bigger and better things in her musical career, she expressed no regrets over dropping out of high school. "If people can master a single thing in their lives, that's enough."
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