1. CoCo Lee was a Chinese-American singer, songwriter and actress.
56 Facts About Coco Lee
1. 2.
Coco Lee is one of the best selling artists in Asia and widely regarded as a significant figure and a Diva.
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Coco Lee's career marked the modernization of pop music in Asia and influenced many other artists.
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Coco Lee's career began in 1993 in Hong Kong, and she gained early fame in Taiwan through a series of successful albums, establishing herself as an icon in Asia.
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Coco Lee released 18 studio albums, two live albums, and five compilation albums.
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Coco Lee voiced the lead character Fa Mulan in the Mandarin version of the 1998 Disney Film Mulan, and sang its theme song "Reflection".
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Coco Lee was the first Asian singer to have music released globally, making her the first Chinese singer to break into the western market.
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Coco Lee was the first Asian-American singer to sing the US National Anthem at an NBA game, the first Asian singer to hold a concert at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles California, the first non-mainland Chinese singer to win the Chinese singing reality show I Am A Singer, and the first Asian brand ambassador for Chanel.
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Coco Lee died by suicide in Hong Kong at the age of 48.
10.
Ferren Coco Lee was born on 17 January 1975 in Hong Kong or Wuhan.
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Coco Lee was born after her father's death due to illness, making her a posthumous child.
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Coco Lee had physical defects in her left leg, which affected her throughout her life and contributed to her later challenges.
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Coco Lee was raised in Hong Kong and had a lot of pleasant memories there.
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Coco Lee attended Redding Elementary School, Presidio Middle School and Raoul Wallenberg Traditional High School there.
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Coco Lee won the title of Miss Teen Chinatown San Francisco in 1991 at age 16, marking a significant step toward her later success in the entertainment industry.
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Coco Lee attempted to juggle her singing career in Hong Kong with her pre-medical studies at the University of California, Irvine but eventually left after her first year to concentrate on her pop career.
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Coco Lee's goal in life was to become a surgeon because her mother was a successful doctor, although completing all of her medical training might take another decade.
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In 1993, Coco Lee returned to Hong Kong to see her sisters, who had participated in the Miss Hong Kong Pageant in 1992.
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Coco Lee made her debut on compilation albums including Red Hot Hits '93 Autumn Edition.
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Coco Lee performed in Michael Jackson's "Michael Jackson and friends" charity concert.
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In 1999, Coco Lee released the Mandarin album From Today Till Forever.
22.
Coco Lee recorded a duet called "Can't Get Over" with singer Kelly Price.
23.
In 2001, Coco Lee sang the song "A Love Before Time" for the movie Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, which she performed at the Oscars.
24.
Coco Lee recorded a Mandarin Chinese cover titled "Baby, I'm Sorry" as the lead single of the album.
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Coco Lee sang an anti-tobacco song called "From the Beginning 'til the End" with singer Jacky Cheung.
26.
Coco Lee sang the anti-racism song "A Dream of One" with Korean singer Jin Young Park.
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Coco Lee co-starred in the Chinese comedy movie Master of Everything with John Lone, which won the Best Foreign Film award in the 2005 Beverly Hills Film Festival.
28.
In 2008, Coco Lee was chosen to sing one of the 2008 Summer Olympics' songs, "Forever Friends", opposite Sun Nan.
29.
Coco Lee recorded the song "Smile Shanghai" with other artists including JJ Lin, Andy Lau, Jam Hsiao, and Jane Zhang for Shanghai World Expo 2010.
30.
On 27 March 2010, Coco Lee began her East2West World Tour Concert in Taipei at Taipei Arena.
31.
In March 2011, Coco Lee was one of many artists who participated in the recording of the Artistes 311 Love Beyond Borders official theme song called "Succumb Not to Sorrow" for the Cantonese version.
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On 8 June 2011, Coco Lee announced that had she set up her own studio.
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Coco Lee was a judge on the 2015 version of Dancing with the Stars in China.
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Coco Lee later returned as a guest singer for two more seasons ; on the fifth season during the biennial concert, and on the sixth season as with a guest performer for Jessie J, the eventual winner of that season.
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In 2020, Coco Lee announced that she was going to re-record the Mandarin end-credits version of the song Reflection for the live adaptation of Mulan, as she had already done in 1998.
36.
Coco Lee married Hong Kong-based Canadian businessman Bruce Rockowitz on 27 October 2011 in Hong Kong in a Jewish ceremony.
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Coco Lee had no biological children but had two stepdaughters from her husband's previous marriage.
38.
Coco Lee's sister said the condition deteriorated drastically the few months before her death although she had sought professional help.
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Coco Lee was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2022 and had a tumor removed.
40.
Coco Lee shared videos of herself learning to walk again with the aid of a walker as well as a nurse.
41.
Coco Lee had to take muscle relaxant medication after the surgery, an insider said.
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Coco Lee spent one night in a private hospital, before moving to her sisters' house at the Peak.
43.
On 21 October 2023, Coco Lee's ashes were buried at the Shimen Peak Memorial Park in Wuhan, China.
44.
Coco Lee was remembered by the New York Times as "a Chinese American singer and songwriter best known for performing an Oscar-nominated song in the hit film "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.
45.
Coco Lee, who was about to undergo surgery on her left leg, alleged that she was subjected to a sudden placement change during a performance with Wang Zepeng, a contestant on her team.
46.
Coco Lee described this experience as "humiliating", especially since her health issues had been largely concealed from the public.
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Coco Lee complied to ensure Feige had an opportunity to showcase his talent.
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Coco Lee was accused of being shameless by some netizens for filing the suit.
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Coco Lee is remembered by millennials who grew up during a time when Mandopop boomed and enjoyed listening to her songs in English and Mandarin.
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Coco Lee is considered the 'Asian Mariah Carey' due to her impressive voice and dance.
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Coco Lee was one of the first Asian singers to be widely recognized on both sides of the Pacific.
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Coco Lee has been credited for breaking down international barriers and bridging the gap between East Asia and the West.
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Coco Lee was actively involved in the work of UNICEF as a youth ambassador, promoting children's right and their well-being.
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Coco Lee supported the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which grants children with critical illness their wishes.
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Coco Lee was an ambassador for the Organisation for World Peace in China, Cancer Fund's Pink Ambassador at Hong Kong's first breast cancer survivors' fashion show in 2016 and Youth AIDS ambassador at a global AIDS conference in Bangkok, Thailand in 2004.
56.
Coco Lee was inspired by musicians such as Whitney Houston, Madonna, Michael Jackson and Mariah Carey.