Los Angeles-based guitarist Celinda Chang (25) first picked up the guitar at age 22. Three years later, she’s infiltrating the local music scene with her infectious stage presence and electrifying guitar skills.

At the height of the COIVD-19 pandemic, a fresh-out-of-college Celinda found herself thrown into the real world with more time on her hands than her heart and soul could allow. She found herself drawn back to music as form of comfort, but although she had played cello throughout her middle and high school days, Celinda had always yearned to channel the energy and emotions of rock and punk music.

And so she bought her first guitar — a Squire Bullet Straotcaster in Shell Pink — and promptly began teaching herself how to play, utilizing online resources such as Fender Play and YouTube to learn techniques and play along to her favorite songs. Celinda spent many hours in her Silver Spring, MD apartment plugged into a practice amp, honing her skills before moving back to her hometown of Los Angeles, CA where she continued to practice and began to explore the local music scene.

Celinda eventually caught the attention of Kitten Kay Sera, who recruited her for all-girl pop rock/punk band Pinktastic Plastixx in August 2022, and thus Celinda made her professional guitar debut at the iconic Viper Room on the Sunset Strip with Pinktastic Plastixx in November 2022. She then joined “future 80’s” rock band Nite Vertigo in the summer of 2023, playing with them until summer 2024. Having picked up the bass along the way, Celinda was also asked to play for punk rock band Hollywood Apocalypse in late 2023 and in early 2024 she started the all-girl alternative/punk rock band unpolished* with singer Mary Bugbee, for which she writes original songs. With her various performances with these bands in venues throughout Los Angeles, Celinda has become known for her energetic and captivating stage presence — sliding into the splits while playing has become a signature move, and photographers strive to capture the perfect shots of her stage jumps.

In addition to these bands, she has also been featured in local jams such as Gritty In Pink and Ultimate Jam Night and collaborates/plays with varying artists, including Theia (alt pop/rock), Te Kaahu (Māori folk), nixxi (indie/pop), Alaina Pamela (pop mystique), Tori Kay (pop/pop rock), Michaela Ari (pop/pop rock), The Undead Are Ahead (emo), and Sunny Daydream Chen (pop). Celinda also plays cello and sings backup vocals.

Celinda continues to grow as a guitarist, bassist, songwriter, and musician, using every opportunity to learn and constantly striving for improvement. Although she has a long path ahead of her, Celinda stays true to herself as a hard worker, quick learner, team player, and energetic performer, and she hopes to inspire people of all ages and demographics to pursue their passions.