In numerology, the number 20 symbolises new beginnings, abundance, and manifestation – goals that are aligned with what soca artiste Destra Garcia has planned for 2023 and beyond.
The Queen of Bacchanal is celebrating 20 years in the soca industry, and marking the 20th anniversary of the release of her Carnival anthem, It’s Carnival – a track from her Red, White, Black album released in 2003.
“Personally, I can’t believe 20 years have gone by already,” Garcia told WMN.
“The opening line of that song is the seller. When people hear ‘Everybody take a jump, take a jump, take a jump up now,’ they go crazy. It’s played in every single fete all around to world. I still sing it in my repertoire and so does Machel (Montano),” with whom she collaborated on the song.
“It really embodies Trinidad Carnival. I remember that year everyone crossing the stage were singing the song. In fact, that’s how we got the footage for the video. It’s more than iconic; it’s sewn into the history of Carnival of TT and it was an honour and privilege singing it.”
And after missing out on performing for fans the Carnival in 2021 and 2022, this year Garcia is in celebratory mode with the release her 16th album – the third during a Carnival season: Red, White, Black in 2003, Hott in 2009 and Unchained which will be launched next month.
“The relevance of the name is a spin-off on feeling free, especially after the pandemic. I feel a musical freedom like I can just do music and put it out there. There is one track called Never Gonna Let Me Go, I’m baring my soul on that song…It stems from missing the Carnival and the people so much.”
She said the album started off with 13 tracks, but now has 15 which will highlight the many moods of Destra.
“Every song is different. There’s power, groovy, double entendre, nostalgic...I made it with a lot of love. I tend to not have favourites with the music, but as time goes by depending on the reaction of the audience, then certain songs become my favourites to perform.”
And for the first time she is embracing her Latin heritage in her music – her mother’s Spanish lineage and her father’s Venezuelan.
“I’ve played with different languages in music, but it was always dominantly English. The track, Fuego, which means ‘fire’ is soca done entirely in Spanish... In it I’m telling the many Venezuelans here who have never experienced Trini Carnival how to enjoy it,” although she is not as fluent in Spanish as she is in French.
Going forward, Destra said she has no intention of holding back because of the time, opportunities and people the last three years have taken from her.
[caption id="attachment_993799" align="alignnone" width="683"] Destra Garcia celebrates her Spanish heritage in the song Fuego. -[/caption]
“So many friends and colleagues have passed during the pandemic, and not necessarily from covid. It’s just eerie and gives you a sense of your own mortality. It makes me more appreciative of life and things I often take for granted. You know sometimes we tell ourselves, ‘We have time,’ b
