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Coco Lee, the Hong Kong-born singer-songwriter who became a hit in Asia, has died by suicide, her siblings said Wednesday. She was 48 years old.
Lee’s older sisters, Carol and Nancy Lee, said in a statement posted on Facebook and Instagram that the star had been suffering from depression for several years, as her condition had deteriorated significantly over the past few months.
“Although CoCo sought professional help and did her best to fight depression, that demon inside her took over,” the statement read.
Her sister said that Lee attempted suicide at home over the weekend and was rushed to the hospital. They said she was in a coma and passed away on Wednesday.
Born in Hong Kong, Vereen Lee later moved to the United States where she attended middle school and high school in San Francisco. She became a singer after winning first place in an annual singing competition held by Hong Kong broadcaster TVB, and released her first album in 1994 at the age of 19.
Although Lee initially started out as a Mandopop singer, she later branched out to release albums in both Cantonese and English over the course of her nearly 30-year career. She is known for her powerful voice and live performances.
In their post, her sisters said, “CoCo is also known to have worked tirelessly to open up a new world for Chinese singers in the international music scene, and has done its best to shine for the Chinese.” “We are proud of her!”
She was also the first Chinese singer to enter the American market, and her English single “Do You Want My Love” reached number four on Billboard’s Hot Dance Breakouts chart in December 1999.
Lee was the voice of the heroine Fa Mulan in the Mandarin version of Disney’s Mulan, and he also sang the Mandarin version of the movie’s theme song “Reflection”.
In 2011, Li married Bruce Rokowitz, a Canadian businessman who was the former CEO of Hong Kong supply chain company Li & Fung. While she had two daughters from her marriage to Rokowitz, Lee had no children.
In my last Instagram post, dated December 31, 2022, she shared several photos of herself, including tattoos of the words “Love” and “Faith” as well as a photo of what appears to be a drainage bag affixed to her body.
In the caption, she wrote: “Love and faith – two of my favorite words that are firmly in my heart and that I desperately needed to get through this very difficult year.” “Life seemed unbearable at times, but I adapted my ‘warrior’ attitude to face them face-to-face fearlessly,” the caption read.
In March, she posted a comment about having to re-learn how to walk after undergoing surgery for an old injury to her leg, which resurfaced after she got off the boat during dance practice in October 2022. “Surgery a success. Even though I’m in a lot of pain and have to I’m learning how to walk again, I know I can do it,” she wrote in a Facebook post. “Yes, I can and I will!”
Mandopop singer-songwriter Wang Leehom paid tribute to Lee in an Instagram post, calling her the “biggest star” everyone wanted to work with.
He wrote: “In the music industry, Coco Lee has broken down international barriers, before any other Chinese singer has done.” “Let us always remember her, as a fearless pioneer, and an important music legend.”
Taiwanese singer Jolin Tsai posted a message on Facebook that read, “RIP, your bright smile will always be remembered.”
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