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mom-to-be: Soca star Destra Garcia is pregnant with her first child. Wondering who is the father? Turn to Page 3 for full details. -Photo courtesy Digicel
Soca star Destra Garcia is pregnant and expecting to deliver her baby sometime in January 2010.
It will be the first child for her and the second for her boyfriend/manager/producer of the past nine years, Brian Morris. He is the father of a 13-year-old daughter who lives in Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Garcia, known for hits like "Tremble It", "Sassiness", "Bonnie and Clyde", "I Dare You", "Obsessive Winers" and "Carnival", told the Express she had some "mixed emotions at first".
"I've always had a bit of an irregular cycle, so I was not sure it was that, but my gynaecologist recently confirmed for me that yes, I am very pregnant. I hope my fans are very happy for me."
The soca star, who is the face of Digicel in Trinidad and Tobago, said the news took her by surprise because there had been no morning sickness. Her stomach has only "just" started to show, she said. Contacted for a comment, Sponsorship and PR manager for Digicel Marita Laurent extended congratulations to Garcia and Morris on the pregnancy.
"We fully support her as she embarks on the wonderful journey of motherhood."
Garcia said she did notice she had gone up two bra cup sizes, an increase that was remarked upon by some fans who saw her at the recent Tribe launch at Pier 1, Chaguaramas.
But she sees it as the "hand of God" intervening in her plans, as "we both said we would do this some day".
Showering praises on Morris, who is also the band's sound engineer, she said, "Marriage and kids is something we always planned to do, but each year we've said 'next year'. Brian is very quiet, he always stays in the background, but he is a wonderful person and he is going to be a great father."
Morris described himself as "excited" and sees their marriage plans as coming forward in the "not too distant future".
Asked who she will be getting her pregnancy tips from, Garcia said she expects a lot of support from her mom and her sisters in soca, Denyse Belfon and Alison Hinds.
Garcia and band have toured constantly since Carnival-Jamaica, Antigua, St Vincent, Grenada, Tortola, St John, St Thomas, New York, Manhattan and Barbados. She returned last weekend from the Hookstratten Festival in Belguim, Germany.
Now she agrees the pace will have to be slower, but not before she fulfills her commitment to Miami Carnival in October. A lot of it will depend on her doctor's orders, but she is already working on material for Carnival 2010.
Also look out for her tomorrow evening at the Digicel "Outta Control" free concert at Adam Smith Square, Woodbrook. But how much less she takes on in the immediate future is not only her decision but Morris's and their business partner, Robert Nurse.
"We have to do what is best for the band, because the guys support me 100 per cent, " she said.
