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Destra leaps high in the air during her performance at Bacchannal J'ouvert 2007.

Krista Henry, Staff Reporter

The Energy Queen, Trinidadian soca star Destra Garcia is sexy, sassy and known for whipping any crowd into a frenzy with her racy performances and lyrics.

Known for her often over-the-top performances and eccentric fashion sense, Destra has been dubbed a soca queen in Trinidad courtesy of her hit songs Bonnie and Clyde, Carnival (featuring Machel Montano), I Dare You and many others.

The eldest of four children, Destra began her musical life at a very early stage.

She recounts, "I grew up around a lot of music. Ever since I was three I listened to a lot of Bob Marley and old-time calypsonians Sparrow and more. I also listened to Aretha Franklin. I started singing at an early age. My first timeonstage was when I was 10".

Despite how powerful and controlled her voice may sound, Destra has never done professional training, as she jokes she is all 'natural'. While at school she won her school's Calypso Monarch title for five consecutive years and she composed every one of her songs she went solo for many years, Destra made most of her impact as lead singer of the soca group Atlantik. Since then, she has been gracing carnivals across the Caribbean, having performed in Jamaica numerous times.

Choreographs the crowd

Each time Destra hits the stage it is an experience to watch as she choreographs the crowd in waving their hands, wining and jumping in the air. Onstage she is wild and explosive, often jumping into the air and barely stopping for breathe. Known to be 'soca fabulous', Destra told The Sunday Gleaner that despite all the energy, most people might not know she can be quite tame. "Most people probably don't know I'm close to my family. I'm very childlike around my parents. Onstage I have a very commanding aura, but I'm really like a cat; I'm very gentle and affectionate," she said.

At one point Destra even doubted having a career in music, she decided not to depend on singing to earn a living. With this in mind, she decided to continue with her education, attending the School of Business and Management where she earned her diploma in Selling and Sales Management. Destra began working in the business field but soon discovered that she was not cut out for the corporate world and decided to return to singing.

In 1999, the decision eventually paid off when Destra sang Ah Have A Man Already with Third Base. Since then, there has been no turning back and Destra has released two albums, Red, White and Black and Laventille. At present, she is on her way to completing Independent Lady, which is the title track of her upcoming album.

"It is all about the international appeal. When you look at the international artistes like Usher and those guys, they try come out with an album every year ... So if soca wants to go international, then the artistes need to start acting and being like that," Destra said.