Fado singer Katia Guerreiro was born in South Africa in 1976 before moving … Read Full Bio ↴Fado singer Katia Guerreiro was born in South Africa in 1976 before moving to the Azores as a child. It was here that she learnt to play an instrument known as the "viola da terra". In 1994 she moved to Lisbon where she was the lead vocalist for "Os Charruas".

In 2000, she sang in a concert in memory of Amalia Rodrigues. After receiving critical acclaim for her performance on the night she embarked on a career singing Fado.

She has since released 3 albums, been on several tours and has been the subject of a biographical film.

Rosa Vermelha
Katia Guerreiro Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Trago uma rosa vermelha
Aberta dentro do peito
E já nem sei se é comigo
Se é contigo que eu me deito.

A minha rosa vermelha
Mais parece uma romã
Pois quando aberta de noite

Não se fecha de manhã
Trago uma rosa vermelha
Na minha boca encarnada
Quem me dera ser abelha
De tua boca fechada
Trago uma rosa vermelha
Não preciso de mais nada.

Pus uma rosa vermelha
Na fogueira do teu rosto
Mereço ser condenada
Por crime de fogo posto.

Trago uma rosa vermelha
Que é minha condenação
Condenada a vida inteira
À fogueira da paixão
Trago uma rosa vermelha
Atrevida e perfumada
É uma rosa vaidosa
A minha rosa encarnada

Trago uma rosa vermelha
Não preciso de mais nada

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Katia Guerreiro's song 'Rosa Vermelha' tell the tale of a beautiful and all-consuming love that is both coveted and feared. The singer carries a red rose within her chest, unsure whether it belongs to her or to the one with whom she shares a bed. This rose, when opened at night, remains open in the morning, resembling more the seeds of a pomegranate than a delicate rose. The intensity of the love is palpable, as the singer longs to be a bee in her lover's mouth, just as she holds a rose within her own. The rose is all-encompassing, its scent and beauty enough to satisfy any desire.

However, with love comes risk, and the singer is aware of the danger she faces. She declares that she is guilty of setting fire to her lover's face with the gift of a red rose. She is condemned to a life of passion, forever consumed by the flames of love. The rose is an embodiment of the love that the singer feels, bold and fragrant, proudly declaring its presence. The singer is willing to accept her fate, as the rose is the only thing she needs.

Overall, the lyrics to 'Rosa Vermelha' describe a love that is both all-consuming and dangerous, where the rose is a symbol of the passion shared between two lovers. The singer accepts her fate, condemning herself to the fire of passion and forever carrying the red rose in her heart.

Line by Line Meaning

Trago uma rosa vermelha
I carry a red rose

Aberta dentro do peito
Open inside my heart

E já nem sei se é comigo
And I don't even know if it's for me

Se é contigo que eu me deito
If it's with you that I lay

A minha rosa vermelha
My red rose

Mais parece uma romã
Seems more like a pomegranate

Pois quando aberta de noite
For when it's open during the night

Não se fecha de manhã
Doesn't close in the morning

Trago uma rosa vermelha
I carry a red rose

Na minha boca encarnada
In my crimson mouth

Quem me dera ser abelha
I wish I were a bee