Coco Lee, a Hong Kong-born singer and songwriter who had a highly successful career in Asia, has died by suicide, her siblings said Wednesday (overnight in Australia). She was 48.
The star had been suffering from depression for several years, Lee’s elder sisters Carol and Nancy Lee said in a statement posted on Facebook and Instagram, with her condition deteriorating 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,” the statement read.
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Lee attempted suicide at home over the weekend and she was rushed to a hospital, her sister said. They said that she was in a coma and died on July 5.
Lee, who was born in Hong Kong but later moved to the United States, where she attended middle and high school, had a highly successful career in Asia as a pop singer in the 1990s and 2000s, where she was known for her powerful voice and live performances.
Lee, who was initially a Mandopop singer, branched out to release albums in Cantonese and English over her nearly 30-year career.
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She was the voice of heroine Fa Mulan in the Mandarin version of Disney’s Mulan, and also sang the Mandarin version of the movie’s theme song Reflection.
In 2011, Lee married Bruce Rockowitz, a Canadian businessman who is the former CEO of Hong Kong supply chain company Li & Fung. While she had two stepdaughters from her marriage with Rockowitz, Lee didn’t have children of her own.
“CoCo is also known to have worked tirelessly to open up a new world for Chinese singers in the international music scene, and she went all out to shine for the Chinese,” her sisters said in their post.
“We are proud of her!”
If you or someone you know needs immediate or mental health-related support, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or via lifeline.org.au. In an emergency, call 000.