Lee Jones
Rita Lee Jones de Carvalho (31 December 1947 – 8 May 2023), known as Rita Lee, was a Brazilian singer, songwriter, author, actress and television host. Dubbed the "Queen of Brazilian Rock", she became one of the most influential figures in the country's popular music. Renowned for her constant reinvention and versatility across musical and audiovisual production, Lee was a pioneer of both rock and pop in Brazil. She blended international and national styles, creating a distinctive hybrid sound. Her songs and performances celebrated pleasure and female agency, establishing her as a cornerstone of artistic resistance during the military dictatorship. Lee remains a major influence on multiple generations of artists, particularly women.
Born and raised in São Paulo, she began her musical career in 1963 with Tulio's Trio and later the Teenage Singers, which evolved into Os Seis. She rose to national prominence as vocalist and multi-instrumentalist for the tropicalist group Os Mutantes. Solo stardom came with the album Fruto Proibido (1975), recorded with the band Tutti Frutti and regarded as a landmark of Brazilian rock. Her popularity continued to grow through a string of successful albums that helped popularize pop music in Brazil, most of them created in partnership with her husband Roberto de Carvalho, with whom she co-wrote much of her repertoire. Key releases include Rita Lee (1979), Rita Lee (1980), Saúde (1981), and Rita Lee & Roberto de Carvalho (1982), the latter one of the best-selling albums in Brazilian music history. Her songs became staples on the charts.
Lee's visibility increased through year-end TV specials on TV Globo, such as Rita Lee Jones (1980), Rita Lee Jones (1981), O Circo (1982), Rita Lee e Roberto de Carvalho (1985), and Rita Lee Especial (1995). She also worked as a host on programs including TVLeezão (1991), Saia Justa (2002), and Madame Lee (2005). As a writer, she published 11 books during her lifetime and two posthumously, most notably her first autobiography, which sold 70 times the average print run of a book in Brazil in its first year. She also acted in films and series and hosted radio programs. Her acting work earned awards such as Best Male Performer at the Rio Cine Festival and the Troféu Calunga for Best Supporting Actress. A committed vegan, she advocated for Animal rights, women's rights, and the LGBT community.
With more than 55 million records sold, Lee is the best-selling female singer in Brazilian history. A pioneer of large-scale national tours, she became the first Brazilian artist to tour gymnasiums and stadiums, drawing 500,000 spectators during the highly successful Tour Brasil 83; the Tour 87/88 enjoyed similar acclaim. Among her honors are 12 Brazilian Music Awards, four APCA Awards, three Troféus Imprensa, two Latin Grammys, the Shell Music Award, and an honorary award from the União Brasileira de Compositores (UBC). Rolling Stone Brasil also ranked her among the greatest Brazilian voices and artists of all time.
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