Afeto feels like reading a tender diary entry in song form. Mayra Andrade sings from the perspective of someone who adores a partner yet keeps bumping into invisible walls of reserve. Each time the loved one comes closer, the singer paradoxically feels farther away. Lines about winning only a bronze medal in the race for affection show how she always lands in third place behind the other person’s caution and pride. She calls herself an “orphan” of the partner’s tenderness, highlighting how a lack of hugs, soft words, and spontaneous kisses leaves her emotionally parentless.
Despite the ache, hope lingers. The ocean that “separates” the couple hints at Cape Verde’s island geography and the distances its people often navigate, both physical and emotional. Even though the partner keeps many feelings unspoken, the singer insists that love has been received. The song ultimately captures that bittersweet space where affection exists, but must fight through silence and self-protection before it can fully bloom.