Picture trying to keep love alive through a glowing screen. In Ter e Não Ter ("To Have and Not to Have"), Cláudia Pascoal turns everyday video calls and emoji-filled chats into a tender song about long-distance romance. She greets her partner with casual questions, shares virtual hugs, and even sets the scene for a candle-lit dinner that exists only on opposite sides of the world. The chorus captures the paradox perfectly: she feels she both has and does not have her lover, hugging nothing but air while smiling at the thought of them.
As the hours flip between time zones, the singer runs after her partner’s day, gives pieces of her life away, and slowly wonders if she still knows who they are. The melody is bright and hopeful, yet the words reveal an undercurrent of loneliness. It is a bittersweet reminder that technology can bridge oceans but cannot replace the warmth of a real embrace. By the end, Pascoal leaves us nodding to the beat while reflecting on how distance can make love feel thrilling, fragile, and endlessly complicated all at once.