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Rita Lee, Brazil's "Queen of Rock," died on Monday, May 8, 2023, at the age of 75, in her home in So Paulo. The legendary singer, composer, and writer was diagnosed with lung cancer back in 2021. According to the official statement released on her Instagram account, Lee passed away on Monday evening surrounded by her loving family.
Many celebrities and influential personalities around the world took to social media to lament her passing. The President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, shared posts highlighting her contributions to music and the society at large. He also declared three days of mourning in the country.
The award-winning singer and songwriter will be remembered for her creativity and versatility. Her independent spirit shone through in her music, and her compositions often contained messages of feminism and being true to oneself. Her passing is a big loss, not only for Brazil but for the global music industry as a whole.
5 facts about Rita Lee that prove that she was ahead of her times
1) The Tropicália movement
Tropicália is one of the most significant artistic movements in Brazil. It originated after the 1964 military coup which enabled a right-wing government to come into power. The new government started cracking down on freedom of expression. But instead of backing down, musicians, artists, and writers became more insistent about raising their voices against oppression.
The rock bank founded by Rita Lee, Os Mutantes, was at the heart of the movement. The band sang the title track, Miserere Nobis, in the album, Tropicália ou Panis et Circencis which epitomized the Tropicália movement. Written by Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil, the track merged traditional Brazilian elements with international rock.
2) Her compositions were powerful
Creative and talented, Rita Lee made meaningful music that often contained messages of feminism. One of her most popular tracks titled Ovelha Negra is all about wanting to be herself and making it big in the rock world. The message was powerful because at the time the genre was dominated by men.
Other popular songs that contained feminist themes included Mania de Voce (Mania for You), Amor e S*xo (Love and S*x), and Lança Perfume (Spray Perfume).
3) Domestic success to international fame
Both as a member of different bands and as a solo artist, Rita Lee amassed a huge fan following in Brazil. Her first band, Os Mutantes, was an instant hit in Brazil and over time, the international audience also started to follow the band and recognized Lee as a true artist.
Among her international fans was the lead vocalist of Nirvana, Kurt Cobain who met her and the rest of the members of Os Mutantes during a 1993 trip to Brazil, and highly praised their music.
Even King Charles is a fan of her music. In 1988, the British newspaper Daily Mirror revealed that then-Prince Charles admired her song Lança Perfume, and considered Lee as one of his favorite singers.
4) She was a multi-instrumentalist
Rita Lee pursued music from a young age. The talented musician started with classical piano lessons as a young girl. Over the years, she learnt more instruments including drums, guitar, harmonica, and autoharp. She was also one of the first Brazilian musicians to record with an electric guitar.
5) A musician who writes
Lee wasn't just a musician, she was also a writer. She wrote many books over the years including Dr. Alex, Dr. Alex e os Reis de Angra, Dr. Alex na Amazônia, Dr. Alex e o Oráculo de Quartz, Amiga Ursa, and more.
Her autobiography titled Rita Lee: Uma Autobiografia was a big hit among fans. In fact, it was the best-selling non-fiction book of 2017 in Brazil.
In her autobiography, Rita Lee shares her personal and professional journey. Fans can read about her days growing up in São Paulo. It also documents her musical career, the struggles and memorable moments, as a member of numerous bands and as a solo artist. In the book, she also opens up about struggling with drugs and addiction.
Throughout her illustrious career, Rita Lee won a total of seven Latin Grammy awards. In 2022, she also received a Lifetime Achievement Award. Selling more than 55 million records worldwide, Rita Lee is truly a legend who will be greatly missed.
