Despertar means to wake up, yet Nininho’s first breath of the day is anything but fresh. He opens his eyes in the couple’s bed and instantly feels the empty space beside him. From that lonely awakening, the lyrics spiral through nostalgia, jealousy, and raw heartbreak: he pictures his lover with someone else, remembers how she “taught him to love,” and repeats the anguished question “Diz-me o que fazer se não sou feliz” (“Tell me what to do if I am not happy”). The song turns a simple morning into a cinematic flashback of love gained and lost, pulling listeners right into the ache of missing someone who still feels present in every corner of the room.
Yet beneath the sadness beats a stubborn spark of hope. Calling himself a “bêbado apaixonado” (love-drunk), the singer refuses to abandon the dream of reconciliation. Empty lips crave her kisses like a daily prayer, and waiting becomes both a self-imposed sentence and a proof of devotion. This tension between despair and determination transforms the track into an emotional roller coaster, reminding anyone who has loved and lost that heartache can coexist with an unbreakable belief in a second chance.
Nininho Vaz Maia (born Avelino Vaz Maia in 1988) is a Portuguese singer and songwriter from Lisbon, where he grew up in the working-class neighbourhoods of Olaias and Picheleira. His music grows out of the traditions of Portugal's Roma community, blending heartfelt pop melodies with the passion and rhythm of flamenco.
He first found an audience in 2013, when a home video of him singing spread across YouTube, and he went on to release popular tracks such as "Cola-te a Mim" and "Soy Gitano". "Gosto De Ti" belongs to his 2021 debut album Raízes ("Roots"), a tribute to his heritage and family. Today he is one of Portugal's most-streamed artists, loved for his emotional voice and his warm, deeply personal songs.