At 48, The Voice Of ‘Mulan’ Coco Lee Dies Of Suicide After Battle With Depression

Jul 06, 2023 by apost team

Trigger Warning: This article contains mentions of suicide that may be troubling for some readers.

Influential Asian-American actress CoCo Lee passed away at the age of 48 on Jul. 5, 2023, her siblings confirmed in a statement. 

Formally known as Ferren Lee-Kelly, Lee was a Hong Kong-born American singer-songwriter and actress. Born on January 1975 in Hong Kong, Lee gained prominence in the Asian music industry in the 1990s and the early 200s. She was widely known as someone who had powerful vocals and performances, as well as eloquent communication skills that made her very well-known in both Asian and American communities. 

Signed into Sony Music Entertainment in 1996, her self-titled debut album became the best-selling album that year in her home continent, Reuters reported. It was only in 1999 that she dropped "Just No Other Way," which ultimately launched her to mainstream success. 

Some of her popular songs include "A Love Before Time," "Do You Want My Love," and "Before I Fall in Love." She has won various prestigious awards for her music, including the World Music Award for Best Selling Chinese Artist.

Most notably, Lee was known for being the voice of "Mulan" in the 1998 animated film's Taiwanese Mandarin version. She also lent her voice on the Chinese version bonus track of "Reflection," the hit song of the well-loved movie. 

However, her siblings confirmed in a statement that she died of suicide after suffering from a long battle with depression for many years. Keep on reading to know more about Lee, her life, and the details of her saddening death. 

Lee was only nine years old when her mother brought her and her two sisters, Nancy and Carol, to live in San Francisco from Hong Kong. Lee attended Presidio Middle School and Raoul Wallenberg Traditional High School. The summer after graduating from high school, she was offered a recording contract in Hong Kong, and Lee attempted to juggle her rising career there with her studies at the University of California, Irvine. However, she left her education shortly after and pursued her pop career in Hong Kong.

She got her kickstart by joining the 12th Annual New Talent Singing Awards in Hongkong. Singing Whitney Houston's "Run to You," Lee won first-runner up. The day after, Capital Artist already offered her a recording contract. Releasing four albums under Fancy Pie Records, Lee then signed to Sony Music Entertainment and released her debut major-studio album in 1996, becoming a hit in Asia. 

Two years later, Walt Disney tapped her to sing "Reflection" and voice Mulan in the film's Mandarin version. Since then, Lee's fame catapulted into mainstream American media. She even performed at Michael Jackson's "Michael Jackson and Friends" charity concert and eventually released her English album "Just No Other Way," which birthed the hit "Do You Want My Love."

In 2001 Lee performed "A Love Before Time" from "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," at the 73rd Academy Awards, making her the first Chinese-American artist to perform at the Academy Awards back then. Lee had flown relatively under the radar after her success in the early 2000s. In 2020, she had her "You & I 25 Anniversary World Tour" in Asia but was eventually canceled because of the pandemic. 

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On Jul. 5, 2023, her sister Nancy posted a statement along with a tribute video of Lee on Instagram with a shocking revelation. 

"To all the fans and friends who adore CoCo: 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. Although CoCo sought professional help and did her best to fight depression, sadly that demon inside of her took the better of her," she wrote. 

Per Nancy, Lee committed suicide at home on Jul. 2, 2023, and was subsequently taken to the hospital. However, despite the best efforts of the medical team to revive her and treat her from a coma, she passed away on Jul. 5, 2023. 

Nancy further revealed that 2023 marks the 30th anniversary of Lee's illustrious singing career. She continued to remember her sister's legacy in the post. 

"She's won countless international acclaims with top selling songs and has left audience w an astounding impression of her excellent live performances. 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!" she said. 

Despite the saddening news, Lee's family was thankful that the singer no longer suffers from depression. Lee was survived by her Canadian businessman husband, Bruce Rockowitz, the former chief executive of Li & Fung. Although she did not have any biological children, she was a stepmother to her husband's two daughters. 

Are you a fan of CoCo Lee? What was your favorite performance of hers? Let us know, and pass this on to your family, friends, and other loved ones out there. 

If you or anybody you know is struggling with depression or suicidal thoughts, please call Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or visit Befrienders Worldwide - Global Suicide Prevention to find your local suicide prevention hotline. The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for you or your loved ones and best practices for professionals.