Divya Gocool already singing her way into hearts in T&T

Divya Gocool has already discovered something that many people spend a lifetime searching for — her voice.

The 16-year-old from Boodoo Trace, Debe, says music is not simply a hobby or a talent. She believes it is a gift from God, and she hopes to use it to touch the hearts of others.

Divya’s musical journey began when she was only three years old.

She initially found her way into the performing arts through dance, but it was singing that eventually captured her heart. By the age of six, she had recorded her first song, marking the beginning of a musical journey that has continued to flourish.

Today, Divya describes herself as a versatile singer whose repertoire crosses cultural, linguistic and musical boundaries.

She is particularly rooted in devotional bhajans and Bollywood classics, but her performances extend well beyond those genres. She sings traditional chutney, reggae, parang, qasidas and other forms of music.

And she does so in an impressive variety of languages.

Her repertoire includes English, Spanish, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Sanskrit and Malayalam, among others.

For Divya, music has no boundaries and she is a vocalist with RG the band.

Her willingness to explore different genres and languages has also helped shape her into an adaptable performer, allowing her to connect with audiences from different cultural backgrounds.

Despite her accomplishments, Divya does not consider herself a professionally trained singer.

She is entirely self-taught. Rather than formal musical training, she has relied on her natural ability, practice and an obvious love for performing.

“I am just someone who wants to share the gift God gave me, using my voice to touch people’s hearts,” she says.

For Divya, the ultimate reward is not simply winning a competition or receiving an award.

It is making people feel something when she sings.

“More than anything, I just want people to truly feel my music,” she says.

Her journey has already produced an impressive collection of achievements.

In 2023, she placed second in the Children of Mastana Competition and also captured second place in the Mahatma Gandhi Youth Talent Competition.

Two years later, she placed second in the East Indian Devotional category of the Prime Minister’s Best Village Trophy Competition.

In 2025, she reached another significant milestone when she became the youngest-ever Miss Joy Mastana Bahar Queen, holding the title for 2025–2026.

In 2026, her contribution to music was further recognised when she received the Hari Om Sharan Award.

But while music occupies an important place in her life, Divya is also focused on her education.

She will be pursuing a Bachelor of Education degree, balancing her academic ambitions with her growing musical career.

Divya is developing herself not only as a performer, but also preparing for a future in education.

Her love for music, however, may have begun even before she was born.

Music runs through her family. Her mother, Sherry Maharaj, is a vocalist, while her maternal grandmother, Jennifer Deodath (deceased), was a vocalist and her paternal grandfather, Basdeo Gocool, is also a singer.

Divya said that while her mother was pregnant with her, she would sing and dance on stage.

That early exposure to music and performance, Divya believes, played an important role in shaping her lifelong connection to the performing arts.

From the early days watching her mother perform to standing on stages herself, the teenager has grown into a performer capable of moving comfortably between devotional music, Bollywood, chutney, reggae, parang and other genres.

And perhaps most remarkably, she has accomplished much of it without formal training.

At 16, Divya Gocool is still at the beginning of her story.