Coco Lee

Coco Lee (Chinese: 李玟; 17 January 1975 – 5 July 2023) was a musician, singer, actress, and dancer born in Hong Kong. She was the first Chinese singer to break into the American market and the first, and only, Chinese to perform at the Academy Awards. She was also the first Chinese singer to sing at an NBA game, the first Asian to have concert at Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, and the first Chinese ambassador for Chanel.

Quotes

2020s

2023

Be a caring person and help other people, have a kind heart and be very disciplined – because life is hard.[1] (2023)

Care about the suffering of others and try to help if you can, love our Mother Earth, be a good listener, gain wisdom and have abundance of love to give to others. Be the boss of your own life. Stand up for something you believe in. Be an influential figure to inspire people. And keep spreading Love & Positivity everywhere. Remember there’s only one of you in the world, you are one of a kind. Life can be too short so dare to dream big![2] (2023)

Life seemed unbearable at times but I adapted the attitude of a 'female warrior'.[3] (2023)

LOVE & FAITH ~my 2 favorite words that I carry strongly in my heart which I desperately needed to get thru this incredibly difficult year.[4] (2023)

2022

My mom always said, ‘Don't forget your roots, don't forget where you came from.’ I'm Chinese, and I'm proud to be Chinese. I always remember that.[5] (2022)

I am CoCo Lee and it has been 27 years since my debut. No matter how big I stand on the international stage, I can still proudly say that I am Chinese and I am from Hong Kong, China.[6] (2022)

Everyone in China is saying this is unfair. We are Chinese. We know what’s right and wrong. We are very clever. We are reasonable. Our ears are not numb.[7] (on the competition rules of Sing! China)

I have learned that people can be very, very vicious.[8] (2022)

2010s

2015

I do love singing covers. Funny thing is, I have always preferred singing other people’s songs and making them my own. That’s why this show is perfect for me.[9] - when talking about the “I am a Singer” competition. (~2015)

People were telling me the pressure was nothing like anything you’ve experienced before. But I felt if I was going to be afraid of the consequences I would never make a breakthrough. After all, it’s the same as breaking through in the United States. If I had been afraid of failure, I would never have taken that step. Sometimes in life you have to be brave and challenge yourself to do something that is so out of the ordinary and out of your comfort zone. Sometimes you have to be a little bit crazy to do this.[10] - when talking about the “I am a Singer” competition. (~2015)

I’m not afraid. I’m fearless. I dare to do things that people don’t expect me to do. Even before I became well known, I was this Chinese singer, singing ballads in Taiwan, wearing shorts and looking like one of the Spice Girls. I was different from everybody else. That was 1994. All the women singers were elegant, wearing dresses and speaking softly, whereas I was quirky and had a crazy loud laugh. I wasn’t afraid to be different and just be me.[11] (~2015)

I’d go to Lionel for a lot of advice. He was so supportive. He used to tell me: ‘CoCo, I never worried about you once. I always knew that you would kill it.’ He’s always been very sweet and supportive.[12] (~2015)

She’s my role model, my idol, my legend. She taught me to be a strong, independent woman. I grew up watching how hard she worked. She made me realise that if you want something in this life you have to work hard at it. You’ve got to make the effort. Because of her I was never afraid of hardship. After witnessing all the hardship my mum had been through for us, I was more determined to make it so I could give her a better life.[13] (~2015)

If you YouTube the song Bad Romance, there’s a cape I wear when I first walk on stage. I only wear it for about 20 seconds but we spent weeks on that cape, making sure it was just right, making sure it would come off fluidly when I needed it to.[14] (~2015)

For a fashion shoot, I always come up with ideas. I’ll share with the team what I’d love to explore. But it’s also important to let creative people have ideas.[15] (~2015)

I feel very fortunate that I have gained so much experience performing all over the world and it’s great that I could give back by advising these young talents. There are a lot of great singers out there. But it’s all about how you make yourself stand out and make yourself memorable. These kids are the future of our music industry. It’s more meaningful to be able to play a part in shaping them into brilliant artists.[16] - Lee said when talking about her appearance in the Voice of China 2012 as a mentor. (~2015)

In being a judge... I would try to be a good role model by showing them my work ethic and by simply being a caring friend as I know how brutal this industry can be.[17] (~2015)

One of my goals is to set up a management or entertainment company to nurture artists... I want to give opportunities to showcase younger singers, every chance I get.[18] (~2015)

I would like to do a movie about my mum... The story’s got romance. It’s got conflict. It’s got humour and lots of drama. It’s always been a little dream of mine to make the film. She’s been through so much and I learned from my mum that when you have the power to help and give back, you must.[19] (~2015)

2014

Inside my solo album, there was a bio of me. Under ‘what is your goal?’ I said: ‘to be an international sensation.’ That is so crazy. A 19-year-old who has just started out – who the heck are you to dream that big? But you’ve gotta dream big. When you have a big goal, you can surpass yourself trying to reach it. If you don’t, you never grow.[20][21] (2014)

I almost had a heart attack. I was going to be the first Chinese artist to perform at the Oscars. It’s that Chinese pride. I want people to know that we are talented in many ways: not only at kung fu, computers or cooking Chinese food. I felt like I had a lot to prove.[22][23] (2014)

Quotes about Lee

When CoCo and I first met, we were probably 18 and 19 years old. She had a radiant smile, an infectious laugh, a larger-than-life personality. She already had all the qualities that were to make her a future star. As the years progressed, our paths continued to cross. All the while, her star kept rising. She was the biggest star at Sony, and then she was the biggest star in Asia. I remember her singing at the Oscars [and when] Sony New York signed her to be the first Chinese artist to break into the US market. Mariah Carey’s agent signed her. Everybody wanted to work with CoCo, and for good reason. She was the best. CoCo Lee broke down international barriers, before any other Chinese singer did. Let’s always remember her as a brave pioneer and an important musical legend.
- Wang Leehom, aka the American-born “King of Chinese Pop”, posted on social media after her passing. Once upon a star: A tribute to CoCo Lee, 2023
I will never forget your smile, voice, and dance! You are the most humble genius.
- Dee Hsu. Celebrities pay tribute to late Coco Lee, 2023