Calay News
Brazilian singer-songwriter Rita Lee passed away at the age of 75 in her home in São Paulo after battling lung cancer. Lee is considered an icon of Brazilian rock, and her songs have become feminist symbols. She began her career as part of the psychedelic rock trio Os Mutantes, which was part of the Tropicalist movement in Brazil in the 1960s and 1970s. Later, she continued her career as a solo artist and with the band Tutti Frutti.
The news of her death prompted a large number of tributes on social media from music and political personalities, including Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who highlighted her creativity and boldness in transforming Brazilian music, as well as her fight against sexism in life and in music, which makes her a symbol of inspiration for women in rock and art.
Rita Lee became known for her extravagant style and irreverent songs that talked about topics such as sex, love, and freedom, and became feminist symbols. Throughout her career, she released over 30 albums, was nominated for the Latin Grammy seven times, and won once in the category of Best Brazilian Rock Album in 2001 for her album “3001.”
Lee’s wake will be “open to the public” at the Planetarium of Ibirapuera Park in São Paulo, and her body will be cremated according to her wishes. Lee leaves behind a legacy, a story, and an art that will live forever. In the words of her son, João Lee, his mother was a star in the sky, and although she was never a good example, she was a good person. Brazil’s Minister of Culture defined her as a revolutionary woman and called for a minute of silence in her memory at a hearing in the Federal Senate this Tuesday.
