On Monday, May 8, Rita Lee Jones, the Brazilian Queen of Rock, passed away at the age of 75. At the time of her passing, she was wed to guitarist Roberto de Carvalho. Rita’s energetic and sincere singing style propelled her to notoriety and acceptance on a global scale.
With songs like Now Only Missing You, Mania de Você, and Ovelha Negra, she has provided music lovers with tunes. The legendary singer passed away on Monday night at her So Paulo residence. On Tuesday, May 9, Rita’s official Instagram account sent a statement with the announcement.
Her six-decade-long career left a lasting impression thanks to her originality and compositions with important themes that helped Brazilians become more aware of feminism. She also candidly spoke about her own struggles with drug addiction in her songs. Rita first wed Mutante Arnaldo Baptista in 1968; they got divorced in 1972. Through MPB singer Ney Matogrosso, she connected with her current partner Roberto in 1976. Roberto and Ritaa have three kids together: Antonio Lee, Joo Lee, and Beto Lee.
Rita Lee was identified as having a lung malignancy in 2021
The Brazilian Queen of Rock has reportedly been battling lung cancer since 2021. Beginning in 2023, she was hospitalized because of difficulties with her therapy. Rita’s supporters received an update on her health from her husband, Roberto. Rita Lee and Roberto appeared to have a close-knit, devoted, and loving bond.
Rita and the musician both frequently posted pictures of their wives on Instagram. The couple’s eldest child, Beto Lee, is a musician, singer, and composer. He is currently a member of the band Tits. Beto, a co-founder of Galaxy, has released two solo albums, one of which won a Latin Grammy.
The middle son of Rita and Roberto, Joo Lee, is likewise employed in the music industry as a DJ and producer. Their 42-year-old son, Antônio Lee, is a visual artist. Rita Lee’s fans were rewarded with a streak of number-one records even though she thought her voice was weak and a little out of tune.
Rita’s songs have been used in a number of well-known telenovelas in Latin America. Her rendition of the song Poison Weed was included in three programs on the massive television network Globo.
The singer said in a 2008 interview with Rolling Stone Brazil:
“I was not born to get married and do laundry.” Like the boys who used to play with their toy cars on the street, I desired the same kind of freedom. When I initially started listening to music, especially rock music, I realized that “machos” were in charge. Wow, I thought, “This is the moment I’m going to bare my teeth and deal them a hard time.”
Rita Lee was praised for her versatility. She was a multi-instrumentalist who could also play the harmonica, autoharp, guitar, piano, and drums. She was among the first Brazilian musicians to employ an electric guitar. Eventually, her fame as a singer and composer grew beyond of Brazil.
Rita Lee has performed across Europe, notably in Portugal, France, England, Spain, and Germany. In 1988, the British newspaper Daily Mirror reported that Rita was one of Prince Charles’ favorite singers and that he enjoyed her song Lança Perfume.
For her album 3001, Rita Lee also won a Latin Grammy in 2001 for Best Portuguese Language Album. She and her husband, musician Roberto de Carvalho, were married for 44 years. Along with remixes of some of Rita’s finest songs, they also released a brand-new song in 2021 called Change.
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