Chinese-American singer Coco Lee passes away at 48

Trigger warning: This article contains mentions of suicide and depression.

Coco Lee has passed away. She was 48.

The Chinese-American singer’s sisters Nancy and Carol Lee confirmed the news in an Instagram post on Wednesday, July 5, saying that she committed suicide last weekend after a battle with depression that lasted for years.

"On 2 July, she committed suicide at home and was sent to the hospital. Despite the best efforts of the hospital team to rescue and treat her from her coma, she finally passed away on 5 July, 2023,” they wrote.

Aside from earning “countless international acclaim with top-selling songs,” her sisters noted how she “worked tirelessly to open up a new world for Chinese singers in the international music scene.”

"We are very grateful and honored to have such an excellent and outstanding sister,” they said.

“Although Coco stays in the world for not long a time, her rays of light will last forever,” they added.

While she joined the music industry in Hong Kong in the 1990s, Lee, later on, dominated the US charts after the release of her English-language album. She is best known for her hit songs like Before I Fall in Love (1999), Do You Want My Love (1999), and A Love Before Time (2000), among many others.

Rest in peace, Coco Lee.

If you think you, your friend, or your family member is considering self-harm or suicide, you may call the National Mental Health Crisis Hotline at 1553 (Luzon-wide, landline toll-free), 0966-351-4518 or 0917-899-USAP (8727) for Globe/TM users, or 0908-639-2672 for Smart users.