Rita Lee, a renowned vocalist from Brazil, died at the age of 75. The rock star passed away in front of her loved ones at her So Paulo home. Lee lost the battle with lung cancer on Tuesday after two years of fighting the disease.
The singer earned the nickname “Queen of Rock” and sold over 55 million records worldwide over the course of a career spanning more than five decades. Over the years, she has gained notoriety on a global scale thanks to her charisma and openness. Continue reading to learn more about her life and work.
Brazilian Rock Singer Rita Lee Dies at 75
The singer’s official Instagram account posted the sad news along with the following statement: “We announce the death of Rita Lee at her home in Sao Paulo late last night, surrounded by all the love of her family, as she always wanted.”
The public may say their final farewells to the singer at “the Planetarium of the lbirapuera Park, on Wednesday, the 10th, from 10 am to 5 pm,” according to the statement. Rita had specified that her body be burned in her will. There will be no public ceremony. The family appreciates everyone’s kindness and love during this difficult time.
Lee received a lung cancer diagnosis in 2021 and has been undergoing treatment ever since. Her three children and spouse Roberto do Carvalho are left behind.
Rita Lee had Over 50-Year-Long Career
Lee, a 1947 Sao Paulo native, co-founded the band Os Mutantes in 1966 with Arnaldo Baptista and Sérgio Dias. With the help of their collaborations with Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil, the band became well-known on a global scale. She left the group Tutti Frutti in the 1970s and subsequently launched a solo career.
Lee mostly discussed feminism and sexuality, two subjects that were still taboo at the time. When I first became interested in music, I discovered that rock music was especially dominated by “machos.” Wow, I thought, ‘now is where I’m going to let my fangs out and really give them a hard time,'” she recalled, looking back on her career in 2008.
The vocalist put out more than 20 albums throughout the years, including the hugely popular Forbidden Fruit, Build Up, and Hoje É o Primero Dia do Resto da Sua Vida. She and her husband together released the song Change in 2021.
Tributes Pour In for the Singer
Honours Are Payed to the Singer Brailzina In a tweet, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva praised Lee. Rita Lee Jones was one of the most well-known and talented artists in Brazilian music, he stated. Actress, singer-songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. An innovator in the arts. Although she felt the moniker “queen of rock” was improper, it accurately describes her career path.
Margareth Menezes, a musician and composer, similarly wrote, “Rita Lee was a revolution! She was a powerful, combative, and dynamic musician of the highest calibre in Brazil. She leaves us with a big legacy that makes her timeless and important, loved by a horde of fans from various generations! To family, friends, and supporters, I offer my sympathies.
Lee’s distraught son Joo Lee also paid tribute to mom online, writing, “The world has lost one of the most extraordinary and remarkable persons who ever lived. What a thrilling and amazing life you lived. liked and admired by so many. You are really innovative.
We offer Rita Lee’s family and friends our condolences. Peace be upon her soul, please!
