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Photo by Margot Jordan

Destra preparing surprise performance

Bevan Springer, Contributor

Destra Garcia promises fans attending the 2012 Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival - The Art of Music this month some new flavours from her already impressive menu.

"I am no stranger to Jamaica - everybody knows I can rock the house," said the soca music sensation from her Trinidad home last week. But she promised that festival attendees will see "a different side of Destra that Jamaica has never seen before."

Without sharing any clues, the Trinidad and Tobago musician, whose 2012 Carnival release Baddist is currently rocking Port-of-Spain parties, said, "I live for the element of surprise," pledging that fans will definitely be treated to hot soca but they will also get a bit of "something else". "I promise they will thoroughly enjoy it, and as usual, I will rock the house."

Following the summer release of the pop-flavoured Beautiful Day from the new MYDESTRA.COM album, Destra has also released the soca-pop fused Breaking Away; the groovy soca Baddist with Kerwin Du Bois; chutney soca hitPania with Rikki Jai; and Keep on Wukking Up, a soca and R&B fusion. She has also submitted two selections for the steel-band fraternity, and will soon release two road-march contenders for the 2012 season.

Destra Garcia has grown from strength to strength since her 1999 debut and the entertainer is showing no signs of slowing down - challenging herself every year while taking her music and her fans along for the exciting journey, and taking soca music to international markets.

A guaranteed hit with music-loving audiences everywhere, her energetic performances and eye-catching costumes command the cameras, while her maturity is evident in her demeanour, her command of the stage, her writing and her sense of self.

proud of Destra

"We are so proud of Destra and her accomplishments throughout the years," said Walter Elmore, chairman of Art of Music Productions, producer of the festival. "She is one of the best songwriters and performers the region has produced and I am proud to call her West Indian."

In addition to Destra Garcia, a dazzling line-up of top international, regional and local superstars has been announced for the three-day festival taking place at the Trelawny Multi-purpose Stadium from January 26 to 28.

Joining her on the line-up are Celine Dion, Cee Lo Green, Nicole Henry, Heads of State, Jully Black, Earl Klugh, The Temptations Review, featuring Dennis Edwards, Gentleman; and Jamaica's finest musical talent, including Shaggy, Richie Stephens, John Holt, Yellow Man, Half Pint, Tessanne Chin and Tami Chynn, Marcia Griffiths, Lloyd Parkes and We The People, George Nooks, Luciano, Mykal Rose, A.J. Brown, Freddy McGregor, Pluto Shervington, Etana, Chris Martin, Marcia Barrett (Boney M) and Byron Lee's Dragonaires.

In honour of Jamaica's 50th Anniversary of Independence, the opening night of the festival is dedicated to all the rich sounds that have shaped Jamaica's music over the past 50 years, and so it will feature ska, rocksteady, dancehall and reggae, the island nation's influential contributions to world music.

The 2012 Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival - The Art of Music is supported in part by the Jamaica Tourist Board, Iberostar Hotels and Resorts, Flow, RIU Hotels & Resorts, Half Moon - A RockResort, Hilton Rose Hall Resort & Spa, Sunset Resorts, CVM TV (Official television partner), The Gleaner (Official print partner), Scotiabank, Pure Country, Loyal Haylett Management Services, Delta Air Lines and Holiday Inn SunSpree Resort.