How did Coco Lee die? Cause of death explored as Mulan actress dies aged 48 

Coco Lee, the Chinese-American actress-singer associated with Disney’s Mandarin version of Mulan passed away on Wednesday, July 5, at the age of 48, as confirmed by her sisters via a Facebook post. Coco Lee committed suicide on Sunday and succumbed subsequently at Queen Mary Hospital in Hong Kong Island on Wednesday.

According to BBC’s translation of her sisters' post, Carol and Nancy Lee stated that their sister’s “light will last forever,” while adding:

“Not only did she bring us joy with her songs and dances in the past 29 years, but she also worked hard to break new ground for Chinese singers in the international music scene and has been doing her utmost to shine for the Chinese.”

They wrapped up the tribute by saying that they were “grateful and honored” to have had such as “outstanding” sister.

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Coco Lee struggled with depression for several years

According to Coco Lee’s sisters Carol and Nancy, the star had been suffering from depression for the last few years and had even sought professional help. On Sunday, she reportedly tried to take her own life, following which she was rushed to the hospital in an unconscious state. She was in a coma for three days but sebsequently passed away on Wednesday.

In their Facebook post, Coco Lee’s sisters mentioned how 2023 would have marked her 30 years in the music industry, a long cherished duration during which she won countless global accolades and gifted her people with blockbuster songs and eclectic live performances.

They also added how Lee revolutionized the path for Chinese singers in the international music scene and that they were extremely proud of her achievement. The Lee sisters concluded by asking for privacy during this time of their bereavement.

In her last Instagram post dated December 31, 2022, Lee confessed to having an “incredibly difficult year” but urged her fans to stay positive and spread love. A part of her post read:

“You are not alone, no matter how hard life gets, I’m with u.”

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Coco Lee performed at the 2001 Oscars

Coco Lee (birth name: Farren Lee) was born in Hong Kong on January 17, 1975, to a Cantonese mother and a Malaysian father. She moved to San Francisco as a 9-year-old with her mother and two elder sisters following her father’s untimely death.

Right after graduating high school, Coco Lee rose to fame as a pop singer and even signed a recording contract with Hong Kong-based label producer Capital Artists as a teenager. She was also part of the Miss Hong Kong Pageant and was the first runner-up at the 12th annual New Talent Singing Awards in Hong Kong after singing Whitney Houston’s Run To You.

She soon became a star of the music industry, making a name for herself in both Mandarin and English music. Her song Colors from the album Sunny Day was used as an inauguration song for the FIFA World Cup 1998. Soon, she was signed by Walt Disney Production to sing the Mandarin version of Reflection, the iconic song from the film Mulan. Lee also voiced the heroine Fa Mulan throughout the film.

In 1999, she performed alongside Michael Jackson during his charity concert and also sang the opening song for the 2001 Academy Awards, which was the title track A Love Before Time from the 2000 hit film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Later, she won the Chinese reality show I Am A Singer’s season 4 in 2006. She also sang the iconic Before I Fall in Love from the Julia Roberts and Richard Gere-starrer movie Runaway Bride. Over the last few years, she appeared as a judge on Chinese singing reality shows such as Infinity and Beyond and Singer.

Coco is survived by her husband Bruce Rockowitz, whom she married in 2011 at a private ceremony in Hong Kong, where her friends Bruno Mars, Alicia Keys, and Ne-Yo performed. Rockowitz, a Canadian billionaire, is the CEO of Global Brands Group and co-founder of The Pure Group.