In her homeland of Brazil she was celebrated as the “Queen of Rock” and was also internationally regarded as a music icon. Rita Lee has died at the age of 75.
Brazilian rock singer-songwriter Rita Lee is dead. She died Monday night at her home in São Paulo, “surrounded by the love of her family just as she always wanted,” according to a statement released on Tuesday Instagram account of the musician was published. Rita Lee was 75 years old.
Her death triggered a wave of sympathy and public mourning, especially in her homeland, where she was celebrated as the “Queen of Rock”. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva honored her on Twitter as “one of the greatest and most brilliant names in Brazilian music”. With more than 20 albums and 55 million records sold, Rita Lee has also enjoyed great international success.
Central figure of the Brazilian Tropicália movement
She began her music career in 1966 as a founding member of the band Os Mutantes and became the central figure of the politically charged Brazilian Tropicália movement, which rebelled against the military dictatorship in the 1960s. She made a significant contribution to the country’s musical culture with songs about feminism and sex at a time when such subjects were taboo. Her work was often censored at the time.
After differences within the band, Rita Lee performed with the band Tutti Frutti in the 1970s. She then launched her solo career, performing frequently with her husband Roberto de Carvalho, the father of her three adult sons, to whom she was married until her death.
In 2021, Rita Lee was diagnosed with lung cancer and has been on treatment ever since. Her family has announced that Rita Lee is being cremated at her own request. The ceremony takes place in private. However, fans of the singer can say goodbye at a public memorial service in the planetarium in her hometown of São Paulo on Wednesday.
