INTRODUCTION
What a month it has been for the QoB (Queen of Bacchanal). Which soca artiste can boast of busting a man’s balls…literally…and busting her ankle within the same month? Such escapades are no surprise for those familiar with Destra Garcia whose fiery personality has made her one of the most loved and hated soca artistes in the industry. She is not one to hold her emotions back and has been known to hold a soliloquy or two on stage to the dismay of paying fans wanting to just hear the music. With Destra one doesn’t simply.
She also is known for her inescapable melodies and stunning voice which has spawned some of the most recognizable riffs in soca lore. Her partnership with Kernel Roberts has produced better songs than Machel’s later partnership. Like Machel, a top five of Destra songs is at least a top twenty of all soca songs. And as a final litmus test of talent and skill; even her most ardent haters of which there are many, will give respect to this top five. I assure you. We did Machel’s top five previously and that one was near impossible to select. This one isn’t quite as difficult since Destra doesn’t have quite as many gems but her crown jewels shine as bright as anybody’s. On to the list…
THE LIST
1) It’s Carnival
One of the best soca songs of all time and one the all time great robberies in soca history. This song was snubbed at both the Soca Monarch and Road March. The consolation is that it remains one of the most popular soca songs of all time and is largely considered the theme song of Trinidad carnival. Two juggernauts of soca combining at the height of their powers and giving us a classic for all time.
2) Bonnie and Clyde
A bit of a high concept for a soca song – Destra personifies her rag as her best friend. And you can’t fete without your best friend right? A much loved song during the season it was released unfortunately it would only get second place in the Road March race due to Destra losing her voice for much of that season (I was there) and a backstage fight with Denise Belfon that hurt the song’s momentum. It didn’t work out for Destra but for us we have another all time soca classic.
3) Fly
Another gem of the Destra-Kernel period this song – a patriotic soca song that manages to not be preachy. Vocals, melody, lyrics and message on point. One of the soca songs that generates a singalong from the crowd when it’s performed.
4) Tremble It
This is the song that took Destra from being the sexy soca artiste with the nice figure to the Destra we know now. The sassiness, the sexiness and the voice all came together in song. And the performances that season were lit too.
5) Weh Yuh Want
This was a difficult choice. Destra owned groovy soca in the early 2000s and there are a few selections that deserve this spot. I pondered on it and it came down to between this and “I Dare You. In the end, I had to go with this one. Weh Yuh Want is so sweet, so vulnerable and is the rare soca song that feels like the performer is singing directly to you.We know of Destra’s RnB background and she got the blend perfect on this one – the ultimate slow flex song.
SPECIAL MENTIONS
- I Dare You – It could have been 5th on the list.
- Cool It Down – Was supposed to be the ticket to Destra’s first groovy soca monarch win. Instead, in vintage Destra fashion, she self-destructed on stage to extract second place from the jaws of victory.
- Bacchanal – Earned her second place in road march and a new moniker.
- Lucy – Not my favourite but it deserves points for the storytelling. I believe it will be influential in years to come. For better or worse it gave Destra yet another alter ego.
I hope you all enjoyed the list. As usual if you disagree, don’t just quarrel. Post your own list. Say what shouldn’t be there. And artistes, hit us up for all your recording, mixing, mastering, video, graphics needs. Let’s create that new sound.