Despite a rocky 2 years, Destra Garcia is determined to produce a concert for Carnival 2017. The Queen of Backannal announced that we can definitely expect a Destra concert from her this year. If you remember, her 2015 concert was plagued by late arrivals, but was positively reviewed. Last year she cancelled her 2016 offering mere days before showtime. She thinks 2017 will be her year, and I support the soca star with her plans.
But Destra is a problamatic artist for me. I see her as a performer who lacks focus. Destra, at this point in her career still doesn’t know who she is as an artist. I see her jumping on trends with little to no sign of her personality on the track. I know that she can perform, and she is among the best, but I think that I have more faith in her ability than she has in herself.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m99InthxHpE?rel=0]

Looking at her offering for Carnival this year, I’m still waiting. I have issues with the scripting of this song, but the visuals are lovely. I want to find that jetty and take pictures there.  The song is nice, but it seems fake, the language, implied accent, I can’t get behind it at all.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoizvhBgj8Q?rel=0]

I don’t have words to express the levels of hate I have for this video. What is it? Who are you as an artiste? There is no authenticity in the performance, vocally nor visually. I’ve seen those gangsta posturing on TV. Destra looks like she watched the same programme that I did, and is as great of an actress that I am. It’s simple not a convincing performance.

We can do hip hop here. We can do soca-infused hip hop. Look at Nebula 868. He’s of that community, and does a convincing hybrid.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xakmtLlA9Yg?rel=0]

Destra vs Lucy works. Destra is cute and playful, if a bit subdued in the video. Some of the costuming needs work, I’m speaking about the Black, sweater combo in particular, but I really like her lyric video concept.

As an aside, I’m working on a piece on soca music videos, so stay tuned for that piece.