Calema

Calema is a musical duo of brothers from São Tomé and Príncipe, with origins in Portugal, formed by the two brothers António Mendes Ferreira and Fradique Mendes Ferreira. The duo’s name refers to the special swell on the African coast.

Fradique and António Mendes Ferreira were born in São Tomé and Príncipe, respectively in Roça Ribeira-Peixe in the south of the country (1987) and in the capital São Tomé (1992). With the same miscegenation that characterizes the Santomean people, they descend from Cape Verdeans, Portuguese and Angolans, carrying in themselves a diverse cultural heritage that led them to the passion for music.

They attend primary education in São João dos Angolares, capital of the district of Caué, where they were part of the choir group of the Church of Santa Cruz dos Angolares. In 2009 they looked for a shorter name that had a better meaning and the mutually chosen one was Calema.

Calema means a special swell on the African coast, as the waves reaching the beach always bring something with them. The Calema bring music, smiles, emotions, culture and the Santomean sun. From a very early age, they participated in several competitions, winning Lusartist and where they began to work on their debut album “Bomu Kêlê” (Let’s believe in Creole).

Disc full of surprises in Creole and Portuguese, where Calema challenged themselves by composing all the songs on the disc. These two boys surprise with the mix of their crystalline voices, pure voices, powerful voices. Wherever they go, they never go unnoticed, their humble personalities, charismatic musicians, and sometimes called the Calema angels.

“The secret of a winner is to believe in victory and to destroy barriers with faith”

Three years after being in France, where they came to participate in the voice France, failing the “blind” test. Still in France, they participated in a talent competition “Luso artist” in Strasbourg where they won first prize and soon after the recording of the album Bomu Kêlê where they met manager Alexandre Cardoso.

Then they came to Portugal in promotion of the album bomu kêlê and met Nelson Klasszik where they came to work on the themes “tudo por amor ft Kataleya” “Dame-Dame” “Vai” 2015 – 2016. Later, they produced the album “A Nossa Vez” or simply “ANV”, which included the song “A Nossa Vez”.

The song ended 2017 as the most viewed video on YouTube sung in Portuguese. In February 2019, they were announced as composers and performers of the song “A Dois”, which participated in the Festival da Canção 2019.