Fans of singer and songwriter Coco Lee, who was known for her powerful voice and live performances, were gathering with flowers to pay their respects to their idol at her funeral in Hong Kong on Monday.
The evening services were expected to be attended by her family, friends and supporters.
Lee died July 5 at age 48.
She was born in Hong Kong and attended school in San Francisco before releasing her first album in 1994 at age 19.
She began her profession as a Mandopop singer but branched out to release albums in Cantonese and English.
She was the primary Chinese singer to interrupt into the American market, and her English song “Do You Want My Love” climbed to #4 on Billboard’s Hot Dance Breakouts chart in December 1999.
In 2001, she sang “A Love Before Time” from Ang Lee’s movie “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” on the Academy Awards, becoming the primary Chinese American to perform on the Oscars.
Lee was also the voice of heroine Fa Mulan within the Mandarin version of Disney’s “Mulan,” and sang the Mandarin version of the movie’s theme song “Reflection.”
Lee was married to Bruce Rockowitz, former CEO of Hong Kong supply chain company Li & Fung. She had two stepdaughters.
Her death had shocked fans.
Her siblings posted on Facebook that she had depression for years and had attempted suicide at home on July 2.
She died just a few days later.
On Monday afternoon, greater than 100 fans wearing black were waiting outside the funeral home.
Lin Jing, a fan from Fujian province within the southeast, said she admired Lee’s smile and appearance, adding: “She was really talented. She at all times tried to enhance and he or she inspired women to feel independent.”
In a video for her memorial service, actors and singers from Hong Kong, mainland China and Taiwan recalled their memories with Lee and mourned her death.
Motion star Jackie Chan said within the video that everybody was happy with her when she sang on the Oscars.
“To friends like us, Coco was a passionate and sort friend who showed care to us. She was really a great person. That’s why we’re so reluctant to simply accept she has left us,” he said.
Award-winning director Ang Lee recalled his exchanges with the late singer before the Oscars and said it was a pity she died so young.
“We miss her very much. Coco, rest in peace,” he said within the video.
In Coco Lee’s recent social media posts, she kept spreading positivity.
In March, she posted about having to relearn find out how to walk after undergoing surgery for an old leg injury.
“Successful surgery. Though I’m in numerous pain and I actually have to re-learn find out how to walk again, I do know I can do it,” she wrote in a Facebook post. “Yes I can and I’ll!”