Jack Boswell delves into saudade, a Portuguese word often described as untranslatable. Saudade captures a complex mix of longing, melancholy, and bittersweet nostalgia - a "pleasant sadness" that simultaneously consoles and aches. Jack unpacks the profound emotional resonance of this concept and how it might help us navigate difficult feelings in our own lives.

Jack begins by speaking with Helder Macedo, a celebrated writer and Emeritus Professor of Portuguese at King’s College London. Helder describes saudade as the paradoxical feeling of longing for something - be it a person, moment, or way of life - that is gone, yet whose absence offers a bittersweet comfort. Rooted in Portugal’s maritime history, where separation and uncertainty were common, saudade shaped the national psyche and found expression in Fado, Portugal’s iconic music. Helder likens it to a pinch of salt - enhancing when balanced but overpowering if excessive.

The episode also features Christina Branco, a renowned Fado singer who shares how her music channels the vulnerability and raw emotion of saudade. For Christina, Fado - a genre deeply intertwined with this feeling - is both a personal catharsis and a mirror for her audience, encouraging them to confront their own emotions. She shares how Fado helps her transform pain into strength and creativity.

Through heartfelt conversations, Jack learns how saudade resonates in art, memory, and even daily life. This episode invites listeners to reflect on their own moments of longing and consider how embracing vulnerability can deepen connections, foster resilience, and inspire transformation.

Host: Jack Boswell Producer: Emma Crampton Senior Producer: Harry Stott Executive Producer: Sandra Ferrari Production Coordinator: James Cox Audio Supervisor: Tom Biddle Sound Editor: Alan Leer

A Message Heard production for BBC Radio 4