Arranca is the command form of the verb "arrancar," which means "to tear out" or "to rip out." It's a very physical and powerful verb.
In the song, the singer uses it with immense emotional weight, telling his former lover "Arranca logo e me entrega" (Tear it out now and give it to me), referring to his half of the heart she no longer wants. This visceral metaphor perfectly captures the raw pain of a breakup.
Calema’s “Amar Pela Metade” is a soulful plea from someone who feels incomplete after a breakup. The singer confesses that nothing feels the same anymore: memories, photos and old kisses keep haunting him, yet his ex seems ready to throw their love away. Mixing Portuguese with African Creole, he begs for the “missing half” of his heart back so he can live fully again. Every verse paints a picture of lingering love—rainy streets, quiet embraces, and a constant question: will this pain ever fade, or is he doomed to love at only fifty-percent for the rest of his life?
At its core, the song captures the universal struggle of letting go. Instead of anger, the lyrics revolve around sorrow and a desperate wish for emotional closure. By asking his ex to “devolve” (give back) the part of himself she still holds, the singer turns heartbreak into a vivid metaphor: love is something shared, and when one person leaves, the other is left literally “half-hearted.” Wrapped in Calema’s smooth melodies and gentle rhythms, “Amar Pela Metade” invites listeners to feel, heal, and remember that reclaiming your whole self is the first step toward new beginnings.
Calema are a duo of two brothers, António and Fradique Mendes Ferreira, from São Tomé and Príncipe who are now based in Portugal. Their name refers to the powerful swell of the ocean along the African coast.
After winning a national music competition back home in 2008, the brothers moved to Portugal to study and build their careers, and they were soon championed by the singer Anselmo Ralph. Blending kizomba, zouk and Afro-pop, their warm, romantic sound has made them one of the most popular acts singing in Portuguese. "A Nossa Vez" became a huge hit, ending 2017 as the most-watched non-Brazilian Portuguese-language music video on YouTube and going on to gather tens of millions of views. Today they are celebrated across the Portuguese-speaking world for their heartfelt love songs.