Destra
Nathelie Taylor, Gleaner Writer
SHE IS Destra. Destra Garcia to be formal, 'D' to family and friends.
But even without a name, this sassy young lady who coyly says she's in her 20s, would still be easily identifiable. Why? Her laugh is an instant give-away.
As The Sunday Gleaner approaches the lobby of the Knutsford Court Hotel, a throaty chuckle wafts on the light breeze. One has to look. And there she is, animatedly chatting with friends, her laughter quickly following each sentence, caressing each word, captivating the listener.
It seems her lips spew only magic. One is impelled to ignore that infectious Trini accent and instead listen to a voice that is mature and sultry, gently rolling as the nearby wind-stirred pool. Add to this a pleasant and playful personality, oblivious to even her at times, and you have a winner.
But it's the voice, innocent sometimes and mysterious the next, that helps make Destra such a successful soca artiste. It almost seems unreal though and begs the question of voice training. It's surprising to hear that she
hasn't done any, but she has worked hard to maintain the sexy ambience of her now most precious asset.
"Everything I learnt, I learnt by observing people and trying to perfect it in my own way. My voice used to be too 'virgin' to sing soca, 'cause in soca you have to project your voice. So, my voice had to grow a lot before I could actually capture it the right way," she said.
SERIOUS BUSINESS<>On four different occasions this year, that compelling voice has commanded Jamaican soca lovers to 'start to wine, start to wine, start to wine up now'. Like the Pied Piper, she is ensured instant reaction.
Soca in Trinidad is serious business. Destra admits that Jamaica's carnival period is far more relaxing than Trinidad's, because there the beginning of carnival means the start of preparations for the rest of the year. With eyes flashing excitedly, she explains the process and how she copes.
"It's a pretty long season. We start our carnival preparations sometime in September to record songs the carnival season actually starts around Boxing Day, with 'fete-ing' all the way to Ash Wednesday. Coming down to the last two weeks or so we perform every night, sometimes more than one show a night."
IRIE SPIRIT
Not surprisingly, Destra welcomes the break in Jamaica. "Oh I love it here, man. I swim, chill out, do a couple interviews (laughing playfully), and it's nice. It's a irie feeling," she said.
She quickly adds, though, that Jamaica's carnival is no less fun. "The vibes here is excellent. Ya'll have predominately reggae, but it still seems as if soca is the number one music here. If you tell them to wave, they wave, and gyrate and get on bad!" she said.
But how does one prepare for this gruelling celebration? Simple. Everyone flock the gyms 24/7s to get in shape for the fetes. Those performing, like her, have to stick to certain dietary and exercise regimens.
'm at the gym around four times a week. I also swim till I'm tired. Plus, I try to budget myself as to what and when I eat," she said. With a 'hand-in-the-cookie jar' twinkle though, Destra admits that "sometimes I cheat with cake and ice cream."
PROUD OF PHYSIQUE
Luckily, these lapses do not affect her, as she carries a well-toned body that she loves to flaunt.
"I work hard on my body, so I don't mind showing my stomach, my arms, my legs," she said.
Destra's signature style is 'impy-skimpy' but, as she states, it 'accentuates' her toned structure. The teeny bottoms and tops she confidently wears during each performance fit her small frame well and viciously tease thousands of men.
Interestingly, her outfits are directly linked to her performances. Her tasselled miniskirt, for instance, is deliberately worn to perform the song Come Beta from the Laventille album. She explains that dancing in this skirt captures the sexual Mid-Eastern essence of the song.
However, while she hypnotises on stage, Destra quickly distinguishes between her on and off-stage personas.
"When I hit the stage, I'm a totally different person. Off stage, I tend to be a little bit more reserved, but when I'm on stage all inhibitions are gone. If I'm singing about something sexual, I get in that mood. If I'm singing about something to mash up the party, I change my whole aura," she said.
THE DIVA?
Many call Destra a diva. She could be. Her decorated career kicked off at age 10; by 17 she recorded a 17-track R&B album. She has been affiliated with a number of successful soca personalities and is now the band Atlantik's lead singer. She has also produced two patriotically titled albums Red, White and Black in 2003 and recently Laventille and is currently thinking of a third.
But Destra sombrely explains that she is still learning the art of 'divaism'.
"There are so many women who I look up to who are divas, like Aretha Franklin and Calypso Rose. I don't think I've contributed as much as they have, so I don't consider myself a diva as yet I don't think I have got to what my true potential can be, but I'm getting there," she said.
"Hmm, maybe a diva-in-training," she adds with a healthy laugh.
Destra proudly thanks God for her blessings and eagerly shares her thoughts on her spirituality. "Yes, you see me wining on stage, but I am nothing without God. God is very much a part of everything I do. You have to believe in something. For me, that is Jesus Christ," she said.
And while she is well supported by her family, which she still lives with, and that 'special someone', she insists that "God is my main support mechanism because he dwells in my parents, friends, band."
Due to her deep faith, Destra always includes gospel on her albums, the latest such being More on Laventille. But she incorporates other genres as well, and is excited about the prospect of collaborating with a reggae artiste. "I like to fuse soca with other music. Up In Da Air has a tinge of rock in it, so who knows, I may do something with a reggae flavour in it," Destra said.
She favours Sizzla and gives major props to Lady Saw.
WOMEN IN SOCA
Destra becomes quite animated when asked about women and soca, a subject she feels deeply about. As she speaks, her fiery Trini passion explodes. "Women are up against inequality and a lack of consideration that they are females. They need to be taken care of differently. For instance, we need proper backstage treatment like dressing rooms. We are also up against sexual harassment. Men always think that when you're on stage you belong to them," she said.
Based on that, she has strong words for young girls in soca. "Look for a good song, but maintain your self-respect and dignity. Find your niche, your strength. People will think that you're easy, but you need to establish that you're not there to play around. Strive always to be number one," she emphasised.
She also believes firmly that women in soca should stick together. "I tend to have good relationships with females, but we should stop being so competitive with each other. We should try to help each other, give the fellas a run for their money and be like Sean Paul and Beenie Man and get a Grammy!"
Sexy, outspoken, passionate, spiritual. This is Destra in a nutshell, but she wants to be remembered for so much more. "I want people to remember that Destra was a very charismatic person, like no other woman you've ever seen. She achieved what she wanted, was down-to-earth and very fun loving."
"Oh, and she had a nice smile."
There goes that engaging laughter again.
