Photo credit: Montserrat Arts Council Maggie D performs in the Montserrat Calypso Finals on December 29, 2023.
Maggie Destouche’s talent was spotted from the time she was a toddler. When she was 3 years old, her father Francis – amazed by his precocious daughter’s singing voice – bought her a toy microphone. Little Maggie picked it up . . . and she hasn’t put it down since. Twenty-seven years later, the mild-mannered performer has quietly entered the Montserrat record books.
During Montserrat Festival 2023, Maggie competed in the Calypso Monarch, Soca Monarch and Regional Women’s Calypso contest, adding to what was already an impressive track record of participation.
Since 2008, Maggie has competed in eight different events attached to Festival: Junior Calypso, Teen Pageant (which she won), the Miss Montserrat pageant, the local Women’s Calypso Show, Regional Women’s Calypso Show, Police Week calypso competition, Calypso Monarch and Soca Monarch. No other performer in the history of Montserrat Festival, which began in 1962, has come close to such an achievement. In fairness, several of those events began in recent years, but Maggie’s feat is still remarkable.
“I love my country and I love my culture,” Maggie says. “I love the stage. I feel comfortable on stage, and when I get a reaction from the audience it gives me even more motivation.”
Maggie’s reserved demeanor might give the impression that she’s bashful. Not at all, she says.
“I’m not shy,” she says. “I’m just quiet.”
IT’S JUST ‘MAGGIE’
Maggie’s journey began in Trials Village in southern Montserrat. Maggie’s mother, Shamaine Hyman, is a Montserratian. Her father hailed from Dominica. After Hurricane Hugo devastated Montserrat in 1989 – causing damage to an estimated 90 percent of the structures – Francis Destouche, a carpenter by trade, arrived as part of the recovery effort. It was there that he met Maggie’s mother.
By the way, “Maggie” is not short for Margaret or Magdalene. “It’s just Maggie,” she says with a chuckle. “I was named after my father’s mother.”
When the volcanic crisis began in 1995, the family moved to Nevis. In 1999, Maggie’s father was tragically killed in a freak vehicular accident. The family returned to Montserrat and Maggie grew up mostly in Lookout but also lived in St. John’s and Drummonds. She attended Brades Primary School, then joined Lookout Primary in Grade 4. She was part of the first graduating class at Lookout in 2005. When the school opened in 2001, it was kindergarten through Grade 3. It later expanded to Grades 4, 5 and 6.
“When we were in Grade 4, there was no Grade 5 or 6,” explained Maggie, who is proud to be part of the school’s beginnings. “We were the oldest students. I always tell people that. We made [history] at Lookout Primary School.”
Maggie then attended the Montserrat Secondary School. While in third form, she had a chance encounter that boosted her performing career – and her confidence.
“I was walking in St. John’s one day and I heard a band playing downstairs Lord Hailes bar. The music really captivated me so I went inside. It was the Lava Band playing. They gave me the mike and told me to sing. From there, I started singing with the band.”
“I’M NOT SHY. I’M JUST QUIET.”
Maggie Destouche
In 2008, Maggie was approached by Sunrise Productions about entering the Teen Pageant.
“My aunt [Shandrina Hyman] had been in the queen show, so I think that kind of motivated me,” Maggie says.
Maggie entered the pageant and was chaperoned by Thandie Williams and 2004 Festival queen Jasmine Jno-Baptiste. As usual, her vocal skill left a great impression. Her talent segment featured a skit in which she was being pursued by an older man. Maggie, who had just turned 15, sang the hit reggae song I Am Not Afraid by Etana. She walked away with the Teen crown.
“That was special because I believe I was the youngest one in the competition,” she says.
Photo credit: Maggie Destouche / Facebook Maggie Destouche, who had just turned 15, is crowned Miss Teen 2008.
THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY
Hoping to springboard from her Teen pageant victory, Maggie entered the Miss Montserrat pageant in 2011. She was chaperoned by Sunrise Productions, the same group that organized the Teen pageant. That year, the Miss Montserrat show was expanded to include a cultural presentation. Maggie’s topic of choice was Shamrock Cinema. Wearing a gold 1970s-themed outfit complete with bell bottoms and an Afro wig, she entered to the song Kung Fu Fighting before chronicling the history of Montserrat’s iconic movie theater, which opened in 1971.
Photo credit: Sunrise Productions Maggie prepares to go on stage for her cultural presentation on the history of Shamrock Cinema as part of the Miss Montserrat pageant in 2011.
For her talent segment, Maggie sang Man Down by Rihanna. She won Best Swimwear and tied for Best Introduction Speech. She was confident about her chances of victory, but in the end she had to settle for first-runner up.
“I really felt like I won,” Maggie says. “I shed some tears that night. Up to this day I still think about it. I felt like I delivered well in all my segments. I worked my butt off and my chaperones were amazing. I felt like I let them down. I wasn’t happy about the result, but as they say, the judges’ decision is final.”
Despite the loss, Maggie says that 2011 Queen Show remains her favorite of all the contests she has entered.
Watch Maggie Destouche sing Man Down during the talent segment of the Miss Montserrat show.
Photo credit: MNI Alive Media Maggie Destouche, left, with Festival queen Claris Yearwood and second runner-up Tiffany Ryan on December 26, 2011.
In 2012, Maggie competed in Montserrat Idol, an event launched in 2011 by American expatriate Tom Walker and wife Mary Ann, owners of the Soca Cabana nightclub in Little Bay. Mr. Walker patterned the event after the TV show American Idol, which was popular at the time. Maggie also competed in 2016.
Maggie has collaborated over the years with writers and producers such as Wayne “JMacwell” Dyer, Jonathan “Darkman” Duberry, Everton “Reality” Weekes and Cecil “Cepeke” Lake. She has also performed with two other local bands: Inner Vybz and Volcanic Vybz. She is equally comfortable singing calypso, soca, reggae or R&B.
Away from the stage, Maggie is the mother of three sons: Dwayne, 10; Malique, 5; and Zaire, 1. She has been employed by the Montserrat Port Authority since 2012. Her penchant for participation has rubbed off on two of her siblings. Her sister Francis has competed in the St. John’s Action Club Princess Show, the Teen Pageant and the Miss Montserrat Show (Maggie was her chaperone). Her brother Appiland has participated in the Calypso and Soca Monarch shows. In 2023, Maggie and Appiland performed together in the Groovy segment of the Soca Monarch.
Photo credit: Maggie Destouche / Facebook Maggie with brother Appiland and sister Sheba, circa 2016.
Maggie’s music can be found on Apple Music, Soundcloud, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and other platforms. At 30, she is proud of her body of work and her place in Montserrat Festival history. If only her father were around to see her now. When Maggie reached the Calypso Finals in 2015, one of her songs was Immortal (Heroes Never Die). It was a tribute to her dad, the man who first handed a microphone to Maggie and helped a soft-spoken young lady find her true voice.
“I still have fond memories of him,” Maggie says. “I think he would be proud of the woman I am today.”
After months of tedious campaigning, festive rallies, catchy radio jingles and political rhetoric, the Montserrat national election of 2024 concluded early...
Awesome article!! Maggie is indeed a specialist of her craft. Good going for doing this articls, Edwin!
Thanks Kim????