Rita Lee

Rita Lee Jones (31 December 1947 – 8 May 2023) was a Brazilian singer‑songwriter, actress, author and television host who earned the nickname Queen of Brazilian Rock. Born in São Paulo to an American dentist father and an Italian‑Brazilian mother, she grew up in a multilingual, middle‑class household and learned piano, guitar, keyboards and a host of exotic instruments such as the theremin and autoharp. After forming the seminal psychedelic group Os Mutantes in 1966, she helped shape the Tropicália movement and recorded five albums with the band before leaving in 1972. Her solo career launched with the 1974 album Atrás do Porto Tem Uma Cidade and reached a watershed moment in 1975 with Fruto Proibido, an album that sold more than 700 000 copies and cemented her status as the most successful female artist in Brazilian history. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s she collaborated with her husband Roberto de Carvalho, producing hits such as Lança Perfume and Flagra, while also exploring disco, new wave and bossa nova, showing a rare flexibility that kept her relevant for six decades. Beyond music, Lee wrote children’s books, hosted radio and TV programs like TvLeeZão and Saia Justa, and appeared in films such as Better Days Ahead. An outspoken vegan and animal‑rights activist, she used her platform to champion female independence, often inserting biting irony into her lyrics. Recognised with eleven Brazilian Music Awards and a placement at #15 on Rolling Stone Brazil’s list of the 100 greatest Brazilian artists, she sold over 55 million records worldwide. Rita Lee passed away on 8 May 2023 after a battle with lung cancer, leaving a legacy that continues to inspire generations of musicians across Latin America and beyond.