WARNING: The following article contains sensitive content, including mentions of suicide.
Hong Kong musician Ferren “Coco” Lee has been laid to rest, her older sisters have confirmed.
Carol and Nancy Lee announced the 48-year-old singer’s death on July 5, writing in an Instagram post:
“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.”
Coco Lee had been suffering from depression for years, but her condition drastically deteriorated, according to the siblings. They informed fans of the songstress that although she sought professional help and fought against the condition, “that demon inside of her took the better of her.”
In the same post, Carol and Nancy highlight how 2023 marks the 30th anniversary of Coco’s singing career. That same career initially began in Hong Kong, then later expanded to Taiwan and the rest of the world. In fact, she was the first Chinese singer to enter the American market, topping charts with her English single “Do You Want My Love,” which gained international attention.
Lee consistently made her country proud. At the 73rd Academy Awards, Lee performed “A Love Before Time” from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon becoming the first Chinese American to do so. There were a lot of firsts in Lee’s career; she was also the first Chinese American singer to sing at the NBA games and the first Chinese ambassador for Chanel.
After Lee’s death, a friend of hers disclosed that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer. This was confirmed by her sister, who added that Lee had undergone surgery to remove the tumor in December 2022.
Lee’s vigil was held on July 31 at Hong Kong Funeral Home in North Point. There was a public memorial service from 6pm to 10pm followed by a private funeral service on Aug. 1.