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KUCHING, July 6: Coco Lee, a Hong Kong-born singer and songwriter with a successful career in Asia, has died following a suicide attempt that left her in a coma, according to her siblings. She was 48.
According to several international news reports, Lee’s older sisters, Carol and Nancy Lee, said in a statement posted to Facebook and Instagram that the actress has been suffering from depression for several years, with her condition worsening dramatically in the past few months.
“To all the fans and friends who adore Coco, with great sadness, we are here (to) break the most devastating news: Coco had been suffering from depression for a few years but her condition deteriorated drastically over the last few months.
“Although Coco sought professional help and did her best to fight depression, sadly that demon inside of her took the better of her. On 2 July, she committed suicide at home and was sent to the hospital. Despite the best efforts of the hospital team to rescue and treat her from her coma, she finally passed away on 5 July, 2023,” the statement read.
Lee, who was born in Hong Kong, moved to the United States of AmericA (USA) and attended middle and high school there. She had amazing success as a pop singer in Asia in the 1990s and 2000s, becoming well-known for her exceptional vocal prowess and captivating live performances.
Lee, originally a Mandopop singer, expanded her career by releasing albums in Cantonese and English throughout her nearly 30-year journey.
The 48-year-old singer became famous for her portrayal as the voice of Fa Mulan, the courageous female warrior, in the Mandarin-language adaptation of the Disney film of the same title. She also sang the Mandarin version of the film’s theme song, ‘Reflection’.
Lee was also the first Chinese American to perform on the Oscars stage in 2001, where she captivated the audience with her rendition of ‘A Love Before Time’ from the film ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’. It received a nomination for ‘Best Original Song’.
Due to her powerful voice, some Chinese fans in Asia have started considering her as an Asian version of Mariah Carey, which contributed to her growing popularity in the region.
Furthermore, Lee’s hit songs ‘Do You Want My Love’ and ‘Before I Fall In Love’ gained popularity in the late 90s. The latter song was featured in the romantic comedy film ‘Runaway Bride’ starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere. These songs also achieved success in Australia and the US.
In 2002, Lee made history once again by becoming the first Chanel brand ambassador of Chinese descent for Asia. Besides that, she also was a judge on several reality competition shows, one of which was the 2015 edition of ‘Dancing with the Stars’ in China.
Her most recent single, ‘Tragic’, was released just a few months ago on February 14.
In 2011, Lee entered into marriage with Bruce Rockowitz, a Canadian businessman who previously served as the chief executive officer (CEO) of Li & Fung, a supply chain company based in Hong Kong. Although Lee had two stepdaughters from her marriage with Rockowitz, she did not have any biological children of her own.
Lee passed away at Queen Mary Hospital in Hong Kong, where she had been residing.
Numerous Chinese fans expressed their disbelief, causing the topic to swiftly climb to the top of the trending list on Weibo.
The news of Lee’s death on Chinese social media sparked a public discussion about depression, which is typically considered a taboo topic in China. — DayakDaily
