Chinese Canadians recall the influence of Hong Kong-born singer Coco Lee on the representation of Asia
Chinese Canadians honor the late singer Coco Lee (李玟) as a pioneer in promoting Asian representation in North American pop culture, even as her death sheds light on the stigma surrounding mental health issues within Asian communities.
Born in Hong Kong and raised in San Francisco, Lee died in Hong Kong last Wednesday at age 48 after a suicide attempt that her family said left her in a coma.
During her 30-year career in entertainment, Lee sang and acted in English, Mandarin and Cantonese, making a name for herself not only in North America but also in Chinese-speaking regions such as China, Taiwan and Hong Kong.
One of her most memorable performances was her portrayal of the character Mulan in the Mandarin version of Disney’s Mulan in 1998 and her powerful rendition of the Oscar-nominated song A love of time from the movie Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon at the 2001 Academy Awards.
Pioneering Asian representation in North American pop culture
Vancouver singer and voice actor D’arcy Han (涵子) was shocked to learn of Lee’s death.
Han said she met Lee two decades ago at an album signing in Richmond, BC
“She was very friendly…I was really impressed with the star,” Han said on CBC’s At the coast. “She always gave this really positive ray of sunshine, full of energy.”
At the coast7:56Vancouver voice actor D’arcy Han remembers CoCo Lee
Coco Lee, a beloved singer and songwriter who had a very successful career in Asia, has passed away. Vancouver native voice actor D’arcy Han joined us with more.
Since then, Han said she followed Lee’s music and took inspiration from her when she decided to pursue a singing career in China six years ago.
She said she didn’t realize how much Lee influenced her singing style until she entered a singing competition in China.
“One of the guest judges actually said to me that… ‘you’re just another Coco Lee,'” Han said. “I said I’d be happy to take that compliment.”
LOOK | D’arcy Han performs in a show hosted by China Central Television:
Han described Lee as a pioneer in representing people of Asian descent in North American entertainment and was instrumental in opening doors for diverse voices in the industry.
“There weren’t that many people of Asian descent who were in the spotlight in that capacity in North America, so she probably helped forge a lot of artistic dreams in Asian girls and boys,” she said.
In a written statement, Lee’s sisters revealed that she had sought professional help to battle depression before her suicide.
Stigma around mental health in Asian communities
Toronto actor Bryce Seto is calling for the normalization of mental health discussions within Canada’s Asian communities after being diagnosed with borderline personality disorder six years ago.
The disorder is characterized by intense fear of abandonment or instability, problems with self-esteem, and difficulty controlling emotions and behavior, according to the Mayo clinic.
The early edition7:54The death of international singer-songwriter Coco Lee sparks discussion about mental health within the Asian-Canadian community
Bryce Seto, the co-founder of the Blossom Mental Health Fund, says mental health stigma is especially pronounced in Asian communities.
Seto, whose ancestors hail from Hong Kong, acknowledged the prevailing cultural stigma around mental health issues in Asian communities, which he said could discourage some Asian Canadians from seeking support.
“The previous generations [of Asian Canadians] really pushed the younger generations to focus on things like school, honor, and family, and not too much on our own feelings.
“You feel like you need to be more focused on your own upward mobility, and what’s been created is a culture that faces a lot of silence, a lot of stigma and isn’t open to talking about things like mental health,” he said on CBCs The early edition.
Seto says he’s happy to see more Asian celebrities openly sharing their own mental health struggles.
To further his advocacy, he recently co-founded the Blossom Mental Health Fund, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting the mental health of Asian Canadians. The fund provides psychotherapy grants to those in need and helps guide them to therapists who can provide culturally appropriate services.
“Asian therapists understand the cultural nuances and intergenerational trauma specific to Asian-Canadian travel so we don’t have to explain our time in therapy as that can re-traumatize and create more problems.”
Seto said the Blossom Mental Health Fund, which operates in Ontario, plans to expand into Western Canada with plans to eventually cover the entire country.
If you or someone you know is struggling, get help here:
This guide of the Center for Addiction and Mental Health outlines how to talk about suicide with someone you’re worried about.
