HONG KONG — Coco Lee, a Hong Kong-born singer-songwriter who had a highly successful career in Asia, has committed suicide, her brothers said Wednesday. She was 48 years old.
The star had been suffering from depression for several years, Lee’s older sisters Carol and Nancy Lee said in a statement posted on Facebook and Instagram, and her condition has deteriorated dramatically in recent months.
“Although CoCo sought professional help and did everything she could to combat her depression, unfortunately that demon inside of her got the best of her,” the statement read.
Lee attempted suicide over the weekend and was rushed to a hospital, her sister said. They said she was in a coma and died on Wednesday.
Lee, who was born in Hong Kong but later moved to the US, where she attended middle and high school, had a very successful career in Asia as a pop singer in the 1990s and 2000s, where she was known for her powerful voice and live performances. .
Initially a mandopop singer, Lee branched out to release albums in Cantonese and English during her nearly 30-year career.
She was the voice of the heroine Fa Mulan in Disney’s Mandarin version of Mulan, and also sang the Mandarin version of the film’s theme song, “Reflection”.
In 2011, Lee married Bruce Rockowitz, a Canadian businessman who was CEO of Hong Kong supply chain company Li & Fung. Although she had two stepdaughters from her marriage to Rockowitz, Lee had no children of her own.
“CoCo is also known for having worked tirelessly to open up a new world for Chinese singers on the international music scene, and she did her best to shine for the Chinese,” her sisters said in their post.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, please call 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call the network, formerly known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, at 800-273-8255text HOME to 741741 or visit TalkingSuicide.com/resources for additional resources.
