RIP: Rita Lee, Co-Founding Member of Os Mutantes Dead at 75

Iconic Brazilian musician Rita Lee Jones died on Monday night in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Born in 1943, Lee was a founding member of Tropicália group Os Mutantes and is considered one of the most prominent figures in Brazilian music.

Lee is regarded as Brazil’s “Queen of Rock”, selling over 55 million records during her career which lasted for six decades. The singer is internationally known for hits like “Mania de Você” and “Ovelha Negra” as well as her colorful style and activism received over a year of treatment after being diagnosed with lung cancer in 2021. The Brazilian Queen of Rock pass at her home on Monday night. According to an article from Brooklyn Vegan, the news of Lee’s death was announced via her instagram page in a post that states: “We announce the death of Rita Lee, at her residence, in São Paulo, capital, late last night, surrounded by all the love of her family, as she always wanted.”