Hong Kong pop star Coco Lee dies aged 48 after suicide attempt; ‘her rays of light will last forever,’ devastated sisters say
- Sisters announced in Facebook post that Coco Lee died on Wednesday after being in a coma since the weekend
- She had been diagnosed with depression a few years ago, they said
Hong Kong-American pop star Coco Lee died on Wednesday after trying to take her own life at the weekend, her sisters announced on social media.
In a Facebook post, Lee’s sisters Carol and Nancy revealed that the pop diva, who had been diagnosed with depression a few years ago, had attempted suicide at home on Sunday. Lee, 48, had been in a coma since then, they said.
“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,” the sisters said.
“Although Coco sought professional help and did her best to fight depression, sadly that demon inside of her took the better of her.”
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They said 2023 marked the 30th anniversary of Lee’s singing career, and recounted how their sister had won international acclaim with top-selling songs.
“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. We are proud of her!” the pair said.
Her family expressed their gratitude to healthcare staff and fans for their support.
They also thanked the medical team for their efforts to save her life. The singer-songwriter died at Queen Mary Hospital in Pok Fu Lam, the Post has learned.
“We hope that everyone will not only miss Coco, but also share her bright smile, treat people with sincerity, and convey kindness and love to everyone around us, and continue Coco’s wish to let everyone around feel her love and happiness,” the sisters’ statement said, adding that “her rays of light will last forever”.
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The sisters said their biggest responsibility now was to take care of their elderly mother and asked for everyone’s prayers and space to heal.
A source familiar with the case said Lee had moved out of her home and checked into a serviced apartment at the Four Seasons Hotel in October last year.
She felt unwell on June 30 and was admitted to hospital for a day. Lee moved to her sister Carol’s house on The Peak where she attempted to take her life on Sunday, the source said.
He said she had leg surgery in February this year and needed to take muscle relaxant medication and had no suicidal tendencies at the time.
Friends and fans of the pop diva poured out their grief on social media, including Taiwanese singer-songwriter Jolin Tsai, who wrote: “RIP. Remember your bright smile forever.”
Hong Kong singer Gloria Tang Tsz-kei, widely known as G.E.M, greeted the news with disbelief.
“Can’t believe how much pain was behind your smile. Lost all my words. I will miss you sis @cocolee. Rest in Peace,” she wrote.
Lee, born in Hong Kong in 1975 and raised in San Francisco from the age of nine, was the youngest of three sisters. Although said to be a shy child, she had always wanted to become a singer.
She embarked on her career at the age of 18 after returning to the city in 1993 to take part in TVB’s New Talent Singing Awards, claiming first runner-up spot. Although she did not win, her performance of Whitney Houston’s “Run to You” earned her a recording contract.
“At first I wasn’t sure. I love singing and I wanted to know whether this was really my path. I thought, maybe it’s not meant to be, maybe I’m not good enough,” she said in an interview with Post Magazine in 2013.
“But when I stepped on that stage, I felt like this was where I belonged. My destiny was set on that night.”
Lee, once a pre-medical student at the University of California Irvine, got her big break in Taiwan with her 1994 solo debut Mandarin album Love From Now On before international fame beckoned.
She released her first English-language album, Just No Other Way, in 1999.
She was the first Chinese singer to be signed by Sony Music globally and the first – and only – artist of her nationality to sing at the Oscars, performing “A Love Before Time” from Ang Lee’s 2000 award-winning film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.
She counted Michael Jackson, Beyoncé, Stevie Wonder, Nino Ricci, Madonna and Mariah Carey as her influences and earned the chance to perform on stage with some of her idols over the years.
In the Post Magazine interview, she said: “I choose to work hard. It’s a choice. I want to be a successful person. I want to have a successful career.”
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She added: “Being a singer there are lots of ups and downs, but my attitude has always been to choose to talk about the positive stuff. When things bring me down, I always talk to my family.
“As long as you have a positive attitude, then you are going to beat this. You’re going to come out a winner.”
In October 2011, she tied the knot with Canadian billionaire Bruce Rockowitz following an eight-year courtship.
In one of the most star-studded celebrations the city has witnessed, Rockowitz, a clothing and apparel tycoon, spared no expense during the HK$150 million (US$19 million) bash, which began with a Jewish ceremony at Sky100, the observation deck of the ICC skyscraper.
He splashed out to fly in and accommodate 300 friends, relatives and stars, including Mariah Carey, Tommy Hilfiger and Jennifer Lopez, for a reception at Shaw Studios.
Early this year, Lee revealed that she was born with a defect in her left leg, and had to rely on her right leg. She also said she had undergone surgery for her left leg and was relearning how to walk.
During her lengthy singing career, Lee released more than 15 albums, garnering tens of millions in sales. Her single “Do You Want My Love” climbed to number four on the US Billboard charts in December 1999. She also had acting roles in three films.
