Farewell to Singer and Actress CoCo Lee at Hong Kong Funeral
Family, fans, and fellow artists gathered at a funeral in Hong Kong on Monday to bid farewell to singer and actress CoCo Lee. The funeral celebrated Lee’s decades-long career, which included successful albums, movies, and television shows worldwide.
Lee, a multilingual artist and one of the first Chinese singers to break into the US mainstream, passed away earlier this month at the age of 48 after battling depression, according to her family.
Despite the sweltering summer heat, fans lined up outside the funeral home to attend the private and public memorial services before Lee’s cremation. Dressed in black and holding bouquets of white flowers, they patiently waited for hours for a chance to say goodbye to their idol.
During the memorial service, Lee’s older sister, Nancy, expressed gratitude to all the guests for their support. Quoting the star, she said, “You could have chosen to go anywhere but today you chose to come here to be with me.” Nancy Lee also reminded visitors of CoCo Lee’s infectious smile and kind heart.
A video tribute showcased the various stars and movie directors who had worked with Lee throughout her career. Director Ang Lee, who collaborated with the singer on the Mandarin version of “Mulan,” described her as always sunny and decent, and expressed his deep sorrow at her passing.
Lee, born in Hong Kong and raised in the United States, initially launched her music career in her birthplace after winning a singing contest. She gained success in Asia during the 1990s, selling millions of albums and singing in English, Mandarin, and Cantonese. It was her R&B sounds infused with hip hop that helped her capture the attention of the US audience in the late 90s.
In 2001, Lee performed at the Oscars, singing the romantic ballad “A Love Before Time” from the martial arts film “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” which won the Best Foreign Film award that year. Director Ang Lee praised CoCo Lee for her dedication to the performance and her efforts to boost Asian representation at the awards.
Fans from mainland China, where Lee had gained a significant following in recent years, also traveled to Hong Kong to attend the funeral. They spoke of how Lee had inspired and uplifted them during difficult times.
As fans were allowed to enter the memorial hall in batches, many could not help but shed tears as they laid down floral tributes in honor of CoCo Lee.
Jonathan Serbin, co-president of Warner Music Asia, paid tribute to Lee in his eulogy, describing her as a true legend of the music industry. He emphasized that while her physical presence may be gone, her music will continue to live on for artists and fans around the world for generations to come.
The funeral of CoCo Lee became one of the most searched topics on Chinese social media platform Weibo, with almost 400 million users following the events, demonstrating the impact and influence she had on her fans and the wider community.