Chinese Canadians remember Hong Kong-born singer Coco Lee's influence on Asian representation

Chinese Canadians are honouring 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.

Lee, who was born in Hong Kong and raised in San Francisco, died at the age of 48 last Wednesday in Hong Kong after a suicide attempt that put her into a coma, according to her family.

Over 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.

Among her most memorable performances were her voicing 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 Before Time from the film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon at the Academy Awards ceremony in 2001.

Trailblazing Asian representation in North American pop culture

Vancouver singer and voice actor D'arcy Han (涵子) expressed her shock upon hearing of Lee's passing. 

Han said she had met Lee two decades ago at an album-signing event in Richmond, B.C.

"She was very friendly … I was really starstruck," Han said on CBC's On The Coast. "She always gave this really positive ray-of-sunshine, full-of-energy vibe."

Since then, Han said she had followed Lee's music and drawn 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 had influenced her singing style until she participated in a singing contest in China.

"One of the guest judges actually said to me that … 'you're just another Coco Lee,'" Han said. "I said I will gladly take that compliment."

Han described Lee as a trailblazer in representing people of Asian descent in North American entertainment and playing a significant role in opening doors for diverse voices in the industry.

"There weren't as many people of Asian descent being in the spotlight in North America in that capacity, so she probably helped forge many artistic dreams in Asian girls and boys," she said.

In a written statement, Lee's sisters revealed that she had sought professional help to combat depression before her suicide.

Stigma around mental health in Asian communities

Toronto actor Bryce Seto has been advocating for normalizing 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, self-image issues and difficulty managing emotions and behaviour,  according to the Mayo Clinic.

Seto, whose ancestors hail from Hong Kong, acknowledged the prevailing cultural stigma surrounding mental health issues in Asian communities, which he says may discourage some Asian Canadians from seeking support.

"The previous generations [of Asian Canadians] have really pushed the younger generations to focus on things like school, honour and family, and not too much on our own feelings.

"You feel you should be more focused on your own upward mobility, and what's created is a culture that is met with a lot of silence, a lot of stigma and not open to talking about issues like mental health," he said on CBC's The Early Edition.

Seto says he's happy to see more Asian celebrities openly sharing their own struggles with mental health.

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 grants for psychotherapy to individuals in need and helps guide them to therapists who can offer culturally appropriate services.

"Asian therapists understand the cultural nuances and the intergenerational trauma that are specific to Asian Canadian journeys so that we're not spending our time in therapy having to explain because that can retraumatize and can cause more issues."

Seto said the Blossom Mental Health Fund, which operates in Ontario, plans to expand to Western Canada with plans to eventually cover the entire country.

If you or someone you know is struggling, here's where to get help:

• Talk Suicide Canada: 1-833-456-4566 (phone) | 45645 (text between 4 p.m. and midnight ET).

• Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868 (phone), live chat counselling on the website.

• Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention: Find a 24-hour crisis centre.

This guide from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health outlines how to talk about suicide with someone you're worried about.