Brazilian rock singer, composer, and writer, Rita Lee has died at the age of 75. Her family confirmed. Lee was notably diagnosed with lung cancer in 2021.
On Tuesday, a statement shared on her official Instagram account read, in Portuguese, “We communicate the passing of Rita Lee, at her residence in the capital of São Paulo, at the end of the night, surrounded by all the love of her family, as she always wanted.”
She is best known as the “Queen of Brazilian Rock” for hits like “Ovelha Negra,” “Mania de Você” and “Now Only Missing You.” She was a member of the Brazilian band Os Mutantes and a popular figure in Brazilian entertainment. Also known for being an animal rights activist and a vegan.
“Rita Lee was a visionary artist and one of the best-selling singer/songwriters in the history of Brazil,” said Manuel Abud, CEO of the Latin Recording Academy, in a Tuesday statement in which he expressed his “most sincere condolences to her family, friends and all lovers of her music.”
She sold more than 55 million records worldwide. Her autobiography Rita Lee: Uma Autobiografia was the best-selling non-fiction book of 2017 in Brazil.
‘Queen of Brazilian Rock,’ Rita Lee Died at Age 75
