Childhood and early career

The oldest of four siblings, Destra was r… Read Full Bio ↴Childhood and early career

The oldest of four siblings, Destra was raised in the community of Desperlie Crescent, Laventille in eastern Port of Spain, Trinidad and attended the St. James Secondary School where she discovered her passion for singing and music. She not only won her school's Calypso Monarch title for five consecutive years, she composed every one of her songs.

At the age of 18 she joined a quartet called PSYKE which disbanded after only one year. Following the demise of the group, Destra attended the School of Business and Management earning a diploma in Sales Management.

Music and recording career

In 1999 Roy Cape took notice of her single album titled - “Ah Have A Man Already” with the group Third Base and invited her to join the Roy Cape All Stars Band as one of the lead vocalists.

She pursued a solo career briefly, but eventually joined the band Atlantik in late 2002. She remains the frontline singer for Atlantik and has forged a successful songwriting partnership with Kernal Roberts (until 2005 inclusive), churning out hits such as "Wha Yuh Want", "Negative Vibes" and "Bonnie & Clyde".

In 2003 Destra released her first album “Red, White, Black” which included her hit duet “It's Carnival” with fellow Soca artist Machel Montano. The song became the virtual anthem of Trinidad and Tobago Carnival that year and is widely known throughout the Caribbean.

Destra is famous for her style. Due to her radical clothing choices consisting primarily of revealing clothing such as tight, short pants, and low-cut bra tops, she has captivated audiences during her performances. On stage, Destra is wild and explosive in her movements and vocals, sometimes seemingly performing in her own world due to her passion. Destra has expressed her music and fashion choices as a merger betweeen American punk rock and Soca. This mix is evident in the instruments used in Destra's music, as she frequently utilizes rock guitar acoustics with underlying Soca rythms.

Her 2006 look "soca fabulous" has been created by local designers such as Meiling and Peter Elias. From a new "glam" hairstyle, to her bold, risqué wardrobe, Destra's new look has been described as one which "is going to rock the town and will be a fashion force to reckon with."[citation needed]

Career Highlights

Destra won the Road March title in 2003 at the Labour Day Carnival in Brooklyn, and also placed third in the Trinidad and Tobago Soca Monarch competition in that same year.

She is yet to win either the Road March or Soca Monarch title in her Trinidad. Despite this, she has become success in the local music industry, specializing in pop-sounding soca compositions as well as fusion music encompassing aspects of East Indian culture.

In 2006, Caribbean Beat magazine described Destra's music as "the kind of sound that a young person, living at the crossroads of cultures and technologies that is Trinidad and Tobago today, is likely to produce, and the breeziness of her music may well act as an antidote to the hard edge which often characterises life not only in Trinidad and Tobago, but in many other corners of the globe."[citation needed]

Also in 2006, the Digicel mobile telecommunications group named Destra as its spokesperson in a two-year endorsement deal.

Albums and Notable Singles
Destra's released her first CD in 2004, entitled Red White & Black. Her second CD, Laventille was released in 2005. Both releases were commercial flops on the Caribbean market.

Destra is well known for hits such as "Come Beta" (featuring Shurwayne Winchester), "Bonnie & Clyde", released for the 2004 Triniad and Tobago Carnival season, and 2005 singles "Fly" and "We Say So". She also paid tribute to her home town in 2005 with a track entitled "The Hammer Revisited", a duet with Calypso veteran David Rudder.

In 2006, Destra contributed her vocals to the song "Aur Chale" in conjunction with the band Dil E Nadan, and released popular songs such as "Max It Up" and "Independent Ladies." She also released a song called "Jumpin'" later that year.

For 2007, Destra has released the following singles thus far; "Las Lap" featuring Naya George, "Soca or Die", "Sign" and the 'made-for-pan' production, "We Luv Carnival".

Dip & Ride
Destra Garcia Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Queen of bacchanal
Hold on when I
Ahhhh
Hold on when I
Ahhh
Hold on when I
Ahhh
Hold on when I

When I dip & ride
Dip & ride
Dip & ride
Dip &
Make em wanna slip & slide
Slip & slide
Slip & slide
The way I dip & ride
Dip & ride
Dip & ride
Dip &
Swing my hips to the
Side
Hips to the
Side
When I dip & ride
Dip & Dip &
Dip &
He lies, when i work that body I twist turn it up, aye!
He lies, when I rideride giddy up, Rough, rough, rough it up hey!
Heyy!
Pressure on de right spot, make ah blood Vessel wah pop NON-STOP,
Tuh de riddim we ah rub, he beg meh please Dont stop, So then what ah gwann ring de alarm trini Gyal bad from we bornnn,
Watch me perform, ah was jus gettin warmm Ring de alarm but now ah ready tuh get on Watch me perform, aye, aye, aye.

First ah bounce tuh de base from de speaker Den ah buss ah belly dance like Shakira Den ah turn around and get dem hypnotizedd

Queen ah bacchanal Hol on when ah Hol on when ah Hol on when ah Hol on when ah When ah dip n [ridee] Dip and [ridee] Dip and [ridee] Dip and make yuh wanna slip and [Slide] Slip and [Slide] Slippin [Slide] Slippin [Slide] De way ah dip and [ridee] Dip and [ridee] Dip and [ridee] Dip and swing meh hips tuh de [Side] Hips tuh de [Side] When ah dip n [ridee] Dip and dip, dip and...
He likess, when ah work that body up Twist, twist turn it up, aye!
He likes, when ah ride, ride giddy up, Rough, rough, rough it up hey!
Heyy!
Pressure on de right spot, make ah blood Vessel wah pop NON-STOP, Tuh de riddim we ah rub, he beg meh please Dont stop, So then what ah gwann ring de alarm trini Gyal bad from we bornnn, Watch me perform, ah was jus gettin warmm Ring de alarm but now ah ready tuh get on Watch me perform, aye, aye, aye.
First ah bounce tuh de base from de speaker Den ah buss ah belly dance like Shakira Den ah turn around and get dem hypnotizedd.
When ah dip n [ridee] Dip and [ridee] Dip and [ridee] Dip and make yuh wanna slip and [Slide] Slip and [Slide] Slippin [Slide] Slippin [Slide] De way ah dip and [ridee] Dip and [ridee] Dip and [ridee] Dip and swing meh hips tuh de [Side] Hips tuh de [Side] When ah dip n [ridee] Dip and dip, dip and...
He likess, when ah wine and bubble and Quint up de muscle right deh!
Aye!
Ayee!
He likess, when ah, when ah,.
When ah heyy!
Pressure on de right spot, make ah blood Vessel wah pop NON-STOP, Tuh de riddim we ah rub, he beg meh please Dont stop, So then what ah gwann ring de alarm trini Gyal bad from we bornnn, Watch me perform, ah was jus gettin warmm Ring de alarm but now ah ready tuh get on Watch me perform, aye, aye, aye.
First ah bounce tuh de base from de speaker Den ah buss ah belly dance like Shakira Den ah turn around and get dem hypnotizedd.

When ah dip n [ridee] Dip and [ridee] Dip and [ridee] Dip and make yuh wanna slip and [Slide] Slip and [Slide] Slippin [Slide] Slippin [Slide] De way ah dip and [ridee] Dip and [ridee] Dip and [ridee] Dip and swing meh hips tuh de [Side] Hips tuh de [Side] When ah dip n [ridee] Dip and dip, dip and...
Dip and dip and, dip and make yuh wanna Slip and slip and, Slippin, Slippin, de way ah dip and Dip and dip and, dip and swing meh hips Tuh de, hips tuh de, When ah dip and dip and dip, dip and -

Overall Meaning

The song "Dip & Ride" by Destra Garcia is a dancehall track that talks about her ability to move her body and ride the rhythm of the music. She refers to herself as the queen of bacchanal, which is a term used to describe a wild party or carnival. Throughout the song, she repeats the phrase "hold on when I" before launching into the catchy chorus. The chorus describes how she dips and rides to the music, with her movements making others want to slip and slide. She swings her hips to the side as she dips and rides, hypnotizing those around her with her movements.

The lyrics of the song don't just describe dancing and having a good time, but they also reference sexual prowess. Destra talks about how she can work her body and find the right spots to bring someone pleasure. She uses the rhythm of the music to rub against her partner, driving them wild and making them beg her not to stop. Her lyrics suggest that she is in control of herself and her partner, giving her power in the relationship. Ultimately, the song is about liberation, empowerment, and living life to the fullest.

Line by Line Meaning

Queen of bacchanal
I am the queen of this party and I am ready to have a wild time.

Hold on when I
Get ready to hold on tight, because things are about to get crazy.

Ahhhh
Making a sound to get everyone energized and excited.

When I dip & ride
I am going to dance in a way that is both sensual and energetic.

Dip & ride
I am going to dip and ride along with the music.

Make em wanna slip & slide
My dancing is so captivating that people can't help but move along with me.

The way I dip & ride
The way I am dancing is unique and something that people haven't seen before.

Swing my hips to the Side
One of the movements in my dancing is to swing my hips to the side in a way that is both alluring and rhythmic.

He lies, when i work that body I twist turn it up, aye!
When I dance in this way, it makes my partner feel so good that he can't help but say that he loves it.

He lies, when I rideride giddy up, Rough, rough, rough it up hey!
When I ride on top of my partner and move in a rough and intense way, it makes him feel like everything is completely out of control.

Heyy!
Making another sound to keep the party going.

Pressure on de right spot, make ah blood Vessel wah pop NON-STOP,
The way I am dancing is so intense that it is putting pressure on certain parts of my partner's body, but it feels good and he wants me to keep going.

Tuh de riddim we ah rub, he beg meh please Dont stop,
I am dancing in time with the music and it feels so good that my partner is begging me to keep going.

So then what ah gwann ring de alarm trini Gyal bad from we bornnn,
I am so good at dancing that I am going to make everyone stop and take notice of me.

Watch me perform, ah was jus gettin warmm
What you've seen so far is just the beginning - I'm just getting warmed up.

Ring de alarm but now ah ready tuh get on Watch me perform, aye, aye, aye.
I am ready to continue dancing and showing everyone what I've got. Watch me go.

First ah bounce tuh de base from de speaker Den ah buss ah belly dance like Shakira Den ah turn around and get dem hypnotizedd.
My dancing is multi-faceted and includes belly dancing and other moves that are very hypnotic and captivating.

He likess, when ah work that body up Twist, twist turn it up, aye!
My partner loves it when I dance in this way and I am going to keep going until he can't take it anymore.

He likes, when ah ride, ride giddy up, Rough, rough, rough it up hey!
My partner loves it when I take control and ride him in a rough and intense way.

When ah heyy!
Making another sound to keep the party going strong.

Dip and dip and, dip and make yuh wanna Slip and slip and, Slippin, Slippin, de way ah dip and Dip and dip and, dip and swing meh hips Tuh de, hips tuh de, When ah dip and dip and dip, dip and -
I am going to continue dancing in this way, dipping, slipping and sliding, moving my hips in a sensual and rhythmic way.

Writer(s): destra garcia

Contributed by Asher G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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