Coco Lee was a singer, songwriter, and actress who released 18 albums and in 2001 became the first Chinese American to perform at the Oscars.
- Died: July 5, 2023 (Who else died on July 5?)
- Details of death: Died by suicide in Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong, at the age of 48.
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If you or someone you know is experiencing warning signs of suicide, please contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988, calling 800-273-8255, texting HOME to 741741, or accessing the online chat service. Formerly the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, the network provides free, confidential support for people in crisis or emotional distress, 24/7 year-round. You can also visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for more information.
Coco Lee’s legacy
Lee and her family relocated to San Francisco from Hong Kong when she was 9, where she attended Presidio Middle School and Raoul Wallenberg Traditional High School. While studying at the University of California, Irvine, she visited Hong Kong, participated in a singing contest, and was immediately offered a recording contract by Capitol Artists.
By the mid 1990s, her singing career was thriving across multiple languages. She released two albums in Mandarin in 1994, as well as albums in English and Mandarin in 1995. In 1996, she signed with Sony, and her first record for them, “Coco Lee,” was the bestselling album in Asia that year. The following year, she released records in Cantonese and Mandarin. This pattern of multi-language work would continue for her entire career.
Following her success as a singer, Lee expanded to doing screen work, such as voicing Fa Mulan in the Mandarin version of Disney’s animated “Mulan.” In 2001, she broke ground with American audiences when she became the first Chinese American to perform at the Oscars, doing “A Love Before Time” from Ang Lee’s “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.” She also continued to have major screen success in China, often as a judge on talent shows like “Chinese Idol” and “Dancing with the Stars.” She was the first Chinese ambassador to Chanel and was also involved in charitable work; in the early 2000s, Lee was a Youth AIDS ambassador in Bangkok, Thailand.
Tributes to Coco Lee
Full obituary: Variety
