HONG KONG (AP) — Coco Lee, a Hong Kong-conceived vocalist and musician who had a profoundly fruitful profession in Asia, has passed on by self destruction, her kin said Wednesday. 48 years old.

In a statement that was shared on Facebook and Instagram, Lee’s older sisters Carol and Nancy Lee said that the star had been struggling with depression for a number of years and that her condition had been rapidly deteriorating over the past few months.

The statement continued, “Although CoCo sought professional help and did her best to fight depression, unfortunately that demon inside of her took the better of her.”

According to her sister, Lee attempted suicide at home over the weekend and was rushed to the hospital. They stated that she passed away on Wednesday while in a coma.

Lee moved to the United States after her birth as Ferren Lee in Hong Kong, where she attended middle and high school in San Francisco. She turned into a vocalist subsequent to winning first sprinter up in a yearly singing contest held by telecaster TVB in Hong Kong, and delivered her most memorable collection in 1994 at 19 years old.

Throughout her nearly 30-year career, Lee branched out from being a Mandopop singer to release albums in English and Cantonese. Her powerful voice and live performances earned her the most attention.

“CoCo is likewise known to have worked energetically to open up another world for Chinese artists in the global music scene, and she went all on a mission to sparkle for the Chinese,” her sisters said in their post. ” We are glad for her!”

In addition, she was the first Chinese singer to enter the American market. In December 1999, her English song “Do You Want My Love” reached position 4 on Billboard’s Hot Dance Breakouts chart.

Lee sang the Mandarin version of the movie’s theme song, “Reflection,” as well as the character of Fa Mulan in the Mandarin version of Disney’s “Mulan.”

In 2011, Lee wedded Bruce Rockowitz, a Canadian finance manager who is the previous Chief of Hong Kong store network organization Li and Fung. Lee was married to Rockowitz and had two stepdaughters, but she did not have any children of her own.

Lee’s most recent Instagram post, which was posted on December 31, 2022, included a number of pictures of herself, including a picture of what appears to be a drainage bag taped to her body and tattoos of the words “love” and “faith.”

She wrote in the caption, “Love & Faith — my two favorite words that I carry strongly in my heart and desperately needed to get through this incredibly difficult year.”

The caption read, “Life seemed insurmountable at times, but I adapted the attitude of a ‘female warrior’ to face them head on fearlessly.”

She wrote in March about having to learn how to walk again after having surgery in October 2022 for an old leg injury caused by going overboard during a dance practice.

“Surgery that went well. Despite the fact that I’m in a ton of torment and I need to re-figure out how to walk once more, I realize I can make it happen,” she wrote in a Facebook post. ” I can and will, yes!

In an Instagram post, Mandopop singer-songwriter Wang Leehom paid tribute to Lee, describing her as the “biggest star” with whom everyone aspired to collaborate.

He wrote, “Coco Lee broke down international barriers in the music industry before any other Chinese singer did.” We should always remember her as a significant musical legend and a brave pioneer.

Taiwanese vocalist Jolin Tsai posted a message on Facebook that read “R.I.P., your brilliant grin will constantly be recalled.”

Topics #Chinese singer #Coco Lee #Hong Kong #most attention #singer #telecaster