Rita Lee Jones de Carvalho (bornRita Lee Jones; 31 December 1947 – 8 May 2023), known professionally asRita Lee,[a] was a Brazilian singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, writer, television presenter and activist. Widely regarded as the most influential female figure inBrazilian rock and one of the country's greatest musical innovators, she sold over 55 million records, making her thebest-selling Brazilian female artist of all time and the fourth overall.
Lee's career was marked by continual reinvention and a fearless blending of genres. Beginning with thepsychedelic rock ofOs Mutantes (1966–1972), she later exploredTropicália,glam rock,disco,new wave,pop rock,bossa nova,electronic music andacoustic styles, creating a pioneering hybrid of international and national influences.[1] After leadingTutti Frutti (1973–1978), whose 1975 albumFruto Proibido is regarded as the cornerstone of Brazilian rock and was ranked byRolling Stone Brasil among the greatest albums inBrazilian music history,[2] she achieved her greatest commercial success in the late 1970s and 1980s with a series of albums—Mania de Você (1979),Lança Perfume (1980),Saúde (1981) andFlagra (1982)—that dominated the charts and solidified her as a national icon. From 1976 onward she worked almost exclusively with multi-instrumentalist and composer Roberto de Carvalho, her lifelong romantic and creative partner and father of their three children.
Lee retired from touring in 2012 but continued releasing music, books and occasional collaborations until 2021. Diagnosed withlung cancer that year, she died in May 2023 atage 75.
Rita Lee Jones was born on 31 December 1947 inSão Paulo, the youngest daughter of Charles Fenley Jones, a Brazilian-born dentist of American descent—hisConfederate ancestors fromAlabama andTennessee had settled inSanta Bárbara d'Oeste after the American Civil War—and Romilda Padula, a pianist of Italian origin fromMolise.[4][5] Her two older sisters were Mary Lee and Virgínia Lee Jones; their father gave all three daughters the compound middle name "Lee" in honor of Confederate generalRobert E. Lee.[6] Although her parents initially intended to name her Bárbara afterSaint Barbara, at the baptism they chose Rita to honour her maternal grandmother Clorinda, who was known as Rita.[7]
Lee grew up in the middle-classVila Mariana neighbourhood, where she lived until the birth of her first child. She later described the area as holding many of her fondest memories.[8] She attended the French-BrazilianLiceu Pasteur, becoming fluent in Portuguese, English, French, Spanish, and Italian. In 1968 she briefly enrolled in theSocial Communication course at theUniversity of São Paulo alongside the future actressRegina Duarte, but dropped out the following year.[9][10]
In her teens Lee began writing songs and performing. She first sang in public with Tulio's Trio,[13] then formed an all-female vocal group, the Teenage Singers, who appeared at school parties. In 1964 they merged with a male trio, the Wooden Faces,[14] to create the Six Sided Rockers; the band soon changed its name to Os Seis and released a single.[12] After three members left, Lee and brothersArnaldo andSérgio Dias Baptista continued as Os Bruxos. In 1966, shortly before their television debut onO Pequeno Mundo de Ronnie Von (TV Record), presenterRonnie Von—prompted by a suggestion from producer Alberto Helena Júnior inspired by the science-fiction novelO Império dos Mutantes byStefan Wul—proposed the name Os Mutantes. The trio immediately adopted it.[15]
Os Mutantes in 1969; from left: Arnaldo Baptista, Lee and Sérgio Dias.Os Mutantes in 1971
For six years, Lee was a core member of the pioneeringtropicalista bandOs Mutantes, alongsideArnaldo Baptista andSérgio Dias. She contributed lead vocals, flute, and percussion, while occasionally playing synthesizer, banjo, and autoharp. Lee also experimented with unconventional sound sources, such as a pest-control spray pump to create effects in the track "Le premier bonheur du jour", and served as the group's primary lyricist.[16] In 1967, Os Mutantes backedGilberto Gil at the III Festival de Música Popular Brasileira onTV Record, performing his composition "Domingo no parque".[17]
The band released six studio albums between 1968 and 1972. Theirself-titled debut (1968) is widely regarded as a landmark ofBrazilian music, blendingpsychedelia, tropicalismo, andavant-garde elements to produce enduring hits including "A minha menina", "Dom Quixote", "Balada do louco", "2001 (Dois mil e um)", and "Ando meio desligado". Lee married bandmate Arnaldo Baptista in 1968; the couple separated in 1972, with their divorce finalized in 1977.[16]
While still with Os Mutantes, Lee recorded two solo albums featuring backing from her bandmates.Build Up (1970), her debut, included several songs co-written with Arnaldo; it originated as the setlist for a private corporate event organized by the Fenit company in São Paulo.[18] The album yielded her first solo single, "José", a Portuguese-language cover ofGeorges Moustaki's "Joseph" (previously recorded byNara Leão). Her second effort,Hoje É o Primeiro Dia do Resto da Sua Vida (1972), was credited solely to Lee because Os Mutantes had already released an album that year, and their Philips contract prohibited additional releases under the band name. Os Mutantes performed and recorded the material, but only Lee appeared on the cover and received billing.[16]
Tensions arose from the dissolution of her marriage and disagreements over the band's shift towardprogressive rock. Lee was expelled from Os Mutantes by Arnaldo in 1972. Accounts of the departure vary, with some early reports suggesting she left voluntarily. Lee later described the moment in her 2016 autobiographyRita Lee: uma autobiografia:
My exit from the group happened in the classic style of "the groom is the last to know"—in this case, the bride. After spending the day out, I arrived at rehearsal to find a tense, heavy atmosphere. One would look away, another stared at the ceiling, fiddling with their instrument and such. Finally, Arnaldo broke the ice, took the floor, and informed me—not in these exact words, but the meaning was the same—that I was the corpse at this funeral. "We've decided that from now on, you're out of Os Mutantes because we're going in a progressive-virtuoso direction, and you don't have the chops as an instrumentalist." A spit in the face would have been less humiliating. Instead of falling to my knees, crying and begging forgiveness for being born a woman, I made a silent, elegant exit. I left the room in dramatic fashion, packed my bags, grabbed Danny (the dog), and adiós.[19]
In a 2007 interview, Arnaldo confirmed: "I kicked Rita out of Os Mutantes."[20]
Lee briefly formed thefolk-rock duo Cilibrinas do Éden with guitaristLúcia Turnbull. The pair performed only once, at thePhono 73 festival; a recording of the set surfaced commercially more than 35 years later.[21][22] The duo soon disbanded, and Lee assembled thehard-rock bandTutti Frutti with lead guitarist Luis Sérgio Carlini and bassist Lee Marcucci. In addition to lead vocals, she played piano, synthesizer, harmonica, and guitar.[16]Philips Records signed the group but insisted on billing them as "Rita Lee & Tutti Frutti".[23] An initial album was recorded but shelved by the label for being "too alternative" and facing censorship issues.[24]
The band returned to the studio and releasedAtrás do Porto Tem uma Cidade in June 1974.[16] Influenced by theRolling Stones andDavid Bowie, the album spawned the singles "Mamãe Natureza" (Lee's first original composition after leaving Os Mutantes), "Pé de meia", and "Menino bonito".[25] Producer Marco Mazzola, hired without the band's consent, heavily altered arrangements—particularly on "Menino bonito"—prompting widespread dissatisfaction.[26] At aPhonogram meeting, following reports from a label spy who had been monitoring her concerts and claimed she was unsuccessful despite strong promotion and stage equipment, Lee stood up and cursed at the executives present. This confrontation led to her expulsion from the label.[27] In January 1975, Tutti Frutti opened the Hollywood Rock festival; the performance marked Turnbull's final appearance with the group.[28]
Lee in 1972
Fruto Proibido (1975), blending hard rock,blues, andglam rock, was released bySom Livre in June and is widely regarded as Lee's masterpiece and a cornerstone ofBrazilian rock.[29] The singles "Agora só falta você", "Esse tal de Roque Enrow", and "Ovelha negra"—the latter hailed as a generational anthem featuring one of the era's most celebrated guitar solos—dominated Brazilian radio.[29][30] This success earned Lee the moniker "Queen of Brazilian Rock" and enabled Tutti Frutti to undertake Brazil's first nationwide rock tour, spanning major capitals fromnorth tosouth and concluding with the band headlining the final night of the1976 Saquarema Festival.[31][32][33] The album eventually sold 700,000 copies and ranked 12th among the country's best-selling records of the year.[b][30]
Entradas e Bandeiras followed in 1976, produced by Pena Schmidt and yielding the singles "Coisas da vida" and "Corista de rock", alongside "Bruxa amarela" (co-written byRaul Seixas andPaulo Coelho).[29] As Lee was absent during mixing, the result was a guitar-heavy sound dominated by Carlini.[16] That year, she began a romantic and eventual professional partnership with musician Roberto de Carvalho, who had joined the band as a guitarist.[36]
In August 1976, while pregnant, Lee was arrested formarijuana possession along with her manager and eight Tutti Frutti members—an incident widely seen as themilitary dictatorship's attempt to exemplar youth culture. She maintained that she had stopped using drugs due to her pregnancy and that the substances belonged to visitors.[37][38] After being briefly paraded through police stations and held at the Hipódromo women's prison, she received support fromElis Regina, who visited and demanded medical attention for Lee's pregnancy-related concerns:[37]
Elis wasn't a person of interest to the dictatorship—quite the opposite: she was acknowledged as the queen of the musical Olympus, and no little general would ever dare touch her. She stayed on duty there until I was medicated and the bleeding had stopped. She even ordered some food from a restaurant because she thought I was way too skinny for a pregnant woman.[39]
Following about two weeks in detention, Lee was sentenced to one year ofhouse arrest and a fine. She served the sentence at her parents' house in Vila Mariana, with permission to perform only at night.[37] In her first show afterward, she appeared dressed cartoonishly as a prisoner, drawing enthusiastic support from the young audience, who threw cigarettes onstage.[40]
Despite the success ofEntradas e Bandeiras, the scarcity of shows to promote the album left Lee shaken and facing financial strain.[36] She then released the provocative single "Arrombou a Festa" (co-written with Coelho) in March 1977, critiquing the contemporaryMPB scene; it provoked some unpleasant reactions, including retaliatory graffiti reported in the press.[41] The single ranked 13th on the list of Brazil's best-selling records that year, with over 250,000 copies sold—a record for the7-inch format.[35][42] Her son Roberto (Beto Lee) was born that month, followed by João in 1979 and Antônio in 1981.[43]
After her house arrest ended, Lee joined Gilberto Gil for the Refestança tour, which visited eight capitals between October and November 1977. A live album documented the collaboration.[44] In early 1978, the band embarked on a nationwide tour of Brazil, performing in large gymnasiums and twice breaking theGigantinho record with an attendance of 16,000 people each night.[40] Later that year, Tutti Frutti releasedBabilônia, which produced the hits "Jardins da Babilônia", "Eu e meu gato", and the futuristic "Miss Brasil 2000". Internal conflicts, exacerbated by Carvalho's integration into the group, led to the band's dissolution. Carlini—unhappy with his diminished role in the band he had co-founded, facing the prospect of becoming a backing musician, and having trademarked the name Tutti Frutti—departed, taking the name with him. The remaining members continued supporting Lee,[45] who renamed the band "Rita Lee & Cães e Gatos" for the subsequent tour promotingBabilônia.[40][46]
Partnership with Roberto de Carvalho and commercial peak (1979–90)
Lyrics to the song "Papai, me empresta o carro" (1979), banned by the Federal Censorship Board.
By 1979, Lee and Carvalho had established a prolific songwriting and performing partnership in a dynamic duo format. This collaboration ushered in a highly pop-oriented phase with widespread popular appeal, leading to numerous live performances and severalTV Globo specials.[40]
Their debut joint album, titledRita Lee (commonly known asMania de Você), featured "Chega mais" as the opening theme for the telenovela of thesame name—a major indicator of prestige and success for Brazilian artists at the time.[47][48] The album sold 800,000 copies, marking a decisive shift from rock to a more accessible pop style that cemented Lee's status as Brazil's firstpop superstar.[49][50] Later that year, she appeared on TV Globo'sMulher 80, a special celebrating prominent female singers in Brazilian music, often referred to as the "radio singers".[51]
The 1980 self-titled follow-up—universally known asLança Perfume—was produced by Guto Graça Mello and Carvalho. It blended rock,reggae,rumba,jazz,R&B, andbolero into an exuberant celebration of love, sensuality, and female desire.[52] The album achieved international exposure, selling over one million copies in Brazil, 200,000 in Argentina, and 30,000 in France, while charting in the top three in Germany and the top 70 on the USBillboard. By the end of 1981, Lee graced the cover ofExame magazine for successfully navigating the recording industry crisis affecting major Brazilian artists,[53][54] ranking seventh on the year's end-of-year chart.[35] Thetitle track reached number one on the playlists of France's three largest radio stations,[54] and "Baila comigo" served as the opening theme for the telenovela of thesame name.[47] Around this period, then-Prince Charles publicly declared Lee his favorite singer.[55]
Saúde (1981) encountered censorship for lyrics deemed contrary to "good morals" and featured the return of Turnbull on backing vocals and brass arrangements.[16] The album sustained Lee's commercial dominance, selling 430,000 copies by October 1982 and earning her recognition as the "legitimate queen of Brazilian pop".[56][57] It continued the distinctive carnivalesque style pioneered by Lee and Carvalho, yielding nationwide hits "Saúde" and "Banho de espuma"—the latter one of the most played songs in Brazil that year, after undergoing adjustments following initial vetoes for explicit content.[36][58][59]
The duo reached the peak of their popularity and commercial success in 1982 withRita Lee & Roberto de Carvalho (commonly known asFlagra).[60] The album celebrated femininity, female anatomy, and women's experiences,[16] and included a rare guest appearance byJoão Gilberto.[36] Co-produced by Max Pierre, it sold over three million copies and ranked third among Brazil's best-selling albums in 1983.[61][35] Its main singles enjoyed huge success: "Flagra" served as the opening theme for the telenovelaFinal Feliz, while "Cor-de-rosa choque" (revised after objections to its references to female physiology) was specifically commissioned as the opening theme for Globo'sTV Mulher program.[58][59]
Lee and Carvalho previewed the upcoming tour with a performance before 20,000 fans at São Paulo'sGinásio do Ibirapuera for TV Globo's year-end specialO Circo. The full gymnasium/stadium tour the following year pioneered the era of mega-stadium concerts by Brazilian artists, attracting 500,000 attendees nationwide—the largest audience for any domestic act at the time—in a lavish production featuring elaboratescenography,lighting, and costume changes.[62][63][60]
During her record-breaking tours, Lee performed in various arenas and gyms, including theGinásio do Ibirapuera and theMineirinho.
Bombom (1983) adopted atechno-pop direction,[64] with Lee and Carvalho collaborating withToto membersSteve Lukather andMike Porcaro. Poorly received by critics,[65] the album faced severe censorship from theFederal Police's Department of Public Entertainment for lyrics alluding to figures in the military regime. Initial vinyl pressings had two tracks—"Arrombou o cofre" and "Degustação"—deliberately scratched withrazor blades to prevent playback; both public performance and radio airplay were banned, and the album was prohibited for sale to minors under 18.[66]
Following the deaths of both parents and a period of personal struggles involving alcohol and drugs, Lee adopted a darker, more cinematic tone onRita e Roberto (1985). She pioneered themusic-video-album concept in Brazil, producing narrative clips for every track. A TV Globo primetime special showcased nine of these videos, in which Lee portrayedtragicomic characters such as Gloria Frankenstein. Though critically acclaimed, the album's somber atmosphere ended her streak of massive radio hits and sold a comparatively modest 500,000 copies.[64][67] Lee subsequently left Som Livre, signed withEMI, and regained strong radio and chart presence withFlerte Fatal (1987), led by the single "Pega rapaz".[16]
Flerte Fatal was followed by a farewell-to-arenas tour (1987–1988) that extended to Europe and the United States,[68][69] and byZona Zen (1988), which included "Livre outra vez" and "Independência e vida". During this period, Lee underwent surgery for vocal-cord nodules and recovered from facial injuries sustained in a car accident. The duo closed the decade with the self-titled 1990 album, featuring "Perto do fogo" (co-written withCazuza).[58]
In 1991, Lee temporarily parted professionally from Carvalho and launched the successful acoustic Bossa 'n Roll Tour, releasing the pioneering live album of the same name—one of the first major unplugged records in Brazil, recorded several years before theAcústico MTV phenomenon and eventually selling 400,000 copies.[70][71] She returned tostraightforward rock with the 1993 albumRita Lee.[16]
The couple reunited onstage in 1995 for the A Marca da Zorra Tour.[16] That same year, while opening for the Rolling Stones atMaracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Lee appeared dressed as theVirgin Mary, recited theHail Mary, and performed "Todas as mulheres do mundo". The song's irreverent yet ultimately empathetic portrayal of women from all walks of life provoked nationwide controversy and led theArchdiocese of Rio de Janeiro to declare her excommunicated, stating that the act had "offended the religious feelings of the majority of the population."[72] The couple married officially in December 1996, and Lee began to use the name Rita Lee Jones de Carvalho.[16]
At the 9thSharp Brazilian Music Awards, Lee swept three categories in one night—Best Pop/Rock Female Singer, Best Pop/Rock Album (A Marca da Zorra), and Best Live Show ("A Marca da Zorra"). Accepting the awards, she remarked:
Deep down, for me who has always had my work heavily criticized, it feels really good to finally be recognized.[73]
The following year, before the release ofSanta Rita de Sampa, she was the ceremony's principal honoree alongsideFernanda Montenegro. The tribute featured performances byCaetano Veloso ("Agora só falta você"), Gilberto Gil ("Jardins da Babilônia"),Ney Matogrosso ("Bandido corazón"),Zélia Duncan ("Lá vou eu"),Fernanda Abreu ("Dançar pra não dançar"), andJoyce (who performed the tribute song "Minha gata Rita Lee").[74] Her 1998Acústico MTV, featuring guest appearances byCássia Eller ("Luz del Fuego"),Paula Toller ("Desculpe o auê"),Titãs ("Papai, me empresta o carro"), andMilton Nascimento ("Mania de você"),[75] sold 650,000 copies—her highest album sales sinceRita Lee e Roberto de Carvalho (1982)—and has been ranked byRolling Stone Brasil andCorreio Braziliense among the best entries in the series.[76][77][78]
Compilation albumsPara Sempre andNovelas (2001–2002) followed, the latter collecting her telenovela themes.[47] Lee joinedGNT'sSaia Justa (2002) alongsideFernanda Young andMarisa Orth.Balacobaco (2003) sold 550,000 copies behind the hit "Amor e sexo" and marked her return to major commercial success with a studio album of entirely new material—her first major seller since the late 1980s.[83][84] In 2004, she performed for over 200,000 at São Paulo'sVale do Anhangabaú during the city's 450th-anniversary celebrations.[85]
In 2007 Biscoito Fino released the three-DVD box setBiograffiti, directed by Roberto de Oliveira. The three thematic volumes (Ovelha Negra,Baila Comigo, andCor-de-Rosa Choque) are built around extensive interviews Lee gave for the project, interwoven with rare archival footage. She revisits her departure from Os Mutantes, stating there was no chance of a reunion "unless the money is really good, then I might change my mind," and reflects on her distance from drugs and her self-described "square grandma" phase ("If being square means being a mix ofGrandma Duck andDercy Gonçalves, then tell the people I'm in"). Each disc closes with a previously unreleased song later included on her upcoming album.[86][87]
In 2010, Lee launched the Etc... Tour, which debuted in Belo Horizonte and featured several hits that had long been absent from her setlists.[88][89] The production visited numerous Brazilian cities—including São Paulo,[89] Porto Alegre,[90] and Rio de Janeiro[91]—and extended to Buenos Aires with a performance at theTeatro Gran Rex.[92]
Lee performing on the Etc... Tour, May 2011
On 21 January 2012, during the opening night of a new season atCirco Voador in Rio de Janeiro, Lee announced her retirement from live performances, citing physical fragility. She clarified on Twitter: "I'm retiring from shows, but never from music."[93] Her intended farewell concert took place the following week at the Projeto Verão festival in Aracaju, Sergipe. During the show, she publicly criticised the military police for their aggressive handling of the audience.[94] Charged with contempt of authority, she was briefly detained after the performance to provide a statement but was soon released.[95][96] Lee later described her remarks as having been made "in the heat of the moment" and condemned the police response as "brutal and unnecessary."[97]
That same year, she participated in theCarnival parade of the São Paulosamba school Águia de Ouro, whose 2012 theme celebrated Tropicália. Other figures from the movement, including Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil, joined the procession alongside veteran singersWanderléa,Cauby Peixoto, and Angela Maria. Lee paid homage to the actressLeila Diniz.[98]
After a nine-year hiatus from recording new studio material—her previous album having beenBalacobaco (2003)—Lee releasedReza (2012). It became one of the most consumed records in Brazil that year,[58] with its lead single quickly overtakingMichel Teló's "Ai Se Eu Te Pego" to become the most-downloaded track on iTunes Brazil.[99] The following month, the song entered the soundtrack of the TV Globo telenovelaAvenida Brasil.[100]
In November 2012, Lee returned to the stage for a one-off appearance at the Green Move Festival in Belo Horizonte, sharing the bill with Titãs andJota Quest. During the performance, she briefly lowered her trousers and turned to the audience, generating considerable media controversy.[101] In January 2013, she performed at the concert commemorating the 459th anniversary of São Paulo in Vale do Anhangabaú, declaring: "I'm not leaving here," in reference to her native city.[102]
In April 2013, Lee gave a rare in-depth interview toMarie Claire magazine, identifying aging as the greatest remaining taboo for women and stating: "To age with dignity, a woman must let go. It's very complex."[103] In March 2014, she ceased dyeing her trademark red hair and embraced her natural grey, explaining: "I want to be anonymous."[104]
In my day, they said women couldn't wear pants. So I went ahead and wore them. Then they told me that to play rock you had to have balls. Well, with my uterus and ovaries, I went out and played rock anyway. They also said women weren't allowed to talk about sex and pleasure. So I went ahead and made songsabout it.[105]
In 2014 the musicalRita Lee Mora ao Lado, adapted from Henrique Bartsch's book of the same name and starringMel Lisboa, premiered in São Paulo.[106][107] Lee attended one of the performances; the sight of the singer in the audience moved Lisboa to tears.[108] Lisboa later won the Quem Prize for Best Theatre Actress and received a congratulatory video message from Lee during her acceptance speech.[109]
In 2015 a comprehensive box set containing twenty remastered albums from Lee's discography, together with a disc of rarities, was released.[110] During theCOVID-19 pandemic, a planned guest appearance at her son Beto Lee's concert in São Paulo was cancelled because of quarantine restrictions. Lee spent the period composing extensively and announced plans for a new studio album—her first sinceReza (2012)—which was to include apunk-rock song titled "Vírus do horror" about the pandemic;[111] the project, however, never materialised. In 2021 theTocantins duoAnavitória released the song "Amarelo, azul e branco" from their albumCor, featuring her reciting a passage fromSimone de Beauvoir;[112] later that year she released the single "Change", a collaboration with Carvalho and electronic producerGui Boratto that featured on the soundtrack of the telenovelaUm Lugar ao Sol.[113]
Lee's final years brought a series of major honors recognising her lifetime contribution to music. In 2016 she received theAPCA Grand Critics' Prize in Popular Music for her overall contribution to Brazilian music.[114] In November 2022 she was awarded theLifetime Achievement Award at the23rd Annual Latin Grammy Awards, with tribute performances byLuísa Sonza,Giulia Be,Paula Lima, andManu Gavassi.[115] Two years later, Lee (posthumously) and Carvalho became the first songwriting duo to receive theUBC Prize for their body of work, in a ceremony directed by their son Beto Lee that featured reinterpretations by Fernanda Abreu,Pitty,Léo Jaime, and several younger artists.[116]
In January 2011—one year before announcing her retirement from live performances—Lee began work on the albumBossa 'n Movies. Intended as a sequel to her 1991 live albumBossa 'n Roll, it was to feature Portuguese-language versions, written by Lee herself, of famous movie themes reinterpreted in bossa nova style. However, she prioritized the original-songs albumReza (2012) and setBossa 'n Movies aside after recording vocals for just two tracks.
One of them, "Voando"—Lee's Portuguese version ofDomenico Modugno andFranco Migliacci's Italian song "Volare"—was premiered by Globo'sFantástico program on 9 June 2024, thirteen years after recording. The single was released the following day, credited to Lee and Roberto de Carvalho, who served as musical producer, arranger, and sole performer on guitar, bass, programming, and keyboards.[117] It won the2025 Brazilian Music Awards in the Audiovisual Project category.[118]
In 1986, after leaving Som Livre, Lee and writerAntônio Bivar created and hosted the late-night programmeRádioamador on São Paulo's 89 FM A Rádio Rock. Broadcasting under the pseudonym Lita Ree, she wrote the scripts and voiced multiple characters.[119]
Between 1986 and 1992 Lee published fourchildren's books centred on the rat scientist Dr. Alex.[120][121] She returned to the genre in 2013 withStorynhas (illustrated by Laerte) and again in 2019 with the bestsellerAmiga Ursa: uma história triste, mas com final feliz, the true story of a polar bear rescued from a Russian circus.[122][123]
Autobiographies and other prose
In 2016, to huge acclaim, Lee released her firstautobiography,Rita Lee: uma autobiografia, published byGlobo Livros. The book moved over 200,000 copies—roughly seventy times the average Brazilian print run—received widespread critical acclaim, and earned her theAPCA Prize for Biography/Autobiography/Memoir in Literature.[105][114] It was followed by the short-story collectionDropz (2017), a set of 61 illustrated tales on diverse themes;[124] the deluxe career retrospectiveFavoRita (2018, co-authored with Guilherme Samora), featuring rare photos, censorship documents, and fashion highlights;[125] the posthumously published second autobiographical volumeRita Lee: outra autobiografia (2023), a candid account of herlung-cancer battle;[126] and the 2024 posthumous autofictionO Mito do Mito: de fã e de louco, todo mundo tem um pouco, a satirical exploration of fame, fandom, and show business.[127]
In 1976 Lee began a romantic relationship with multi-instrumentalist and composer Roberto de Carvalho, who became her primary musical collaborator for the majority of her songs. They married in 1996 and had three sons: Beto Lee (1977), João (1979), and Antônio (1981). Beto Lee is a guitarist who has collaborated with his parents on stage and recordings.[43] Avegan, Lee was a vocal advocate foranimal rights.[130]
Lee was born and raised in the Vila Mariana neighbourhood of São Paulo'sSouth Zone, where she lived until age 19 in a large house on Rua Joaquim Távora. She often described the area as holding her fondest memories. During her youth she explored the city extensively—from Rua Augusta andIbirapuera Park toPacaembu Stadium andInterlagos—places that frequently appeared in her songs.[131] In "Mania de Você", performed live in São Paulo, she sang "Sampa, você me dá água na boca" ("Sampa, you make my mouth water"), expressing her affection for the metropolis.[132] For a time she lived in theSerra da Cantareira, attempting ahippie commune with her sisters.[133]
Frequently mentioned in her songs,Ibirapuera Park has a square named in honor of Lee.
Lee also resided inPompeia, where Os Mutantes formed on Rua Venâncio Aires; the neighbourhood is referenced in "Ôrra Meu" ("I grab the guitar and won't let go until Pompeia screams").[134] Other São Paulo-inspired songs include "Caminhante noturno" (1969), "José" (1972), "Lá vou eu" (1976), "Lady Babel" (1976), "Vírus do amor" (1985), "Vítima" (1985), "Gloria F" (1985), "Brazix muamba" (1987), "Venha até São Paulo" (1993), and "Santa Rita de Sampa" (1997),[133] evoking landmarks such asLargo do Arouche,Liberdade,Praça da Sé, theTietê River,Sport Club Corinthians Paulista, andViaduto do Chá.[131]
Avenida São João ×Avenida Ipiranga, immortalised in Veloso's song "Sampa", in which he calls Lee "the most complete translation" of the city.
In April 2000 her dog Mike went missing in Jardim São Bento;[135] Lee made an emotional on-air plea onSBT'sDomingo Legal withGugu Liberato, offering a reward and appearing onPrograma do Jô,Pânico,Transamérica radio, and 89 FM.[136] Musician Leandro Lehart, a neighbour, found and returned the pet, an episode that garnered widespread media attention and highlighted São Paulo's community spirit.[135]
In January 2013, during her 50th-anniversary tour at a Vale do Anhangabaú concert for the city's 459th birthday, Lee performed wrapped in theSão Paulo flag, declaring: "I love this city. I've lived here for 67 years! I'm not leaving... If it weren't for São Paulo, Brazil would be much less."[131] Caetano Veloso immortalised her as "the most complete translation" of the city in his song "Sampa",[137] and she was affectionately dubbed "Saint Rita of Sampa".[133]
Lee's legacy in São Paulo endures through a 2023 mural by artists Paulo Terra, Pedro Terra, and Eraldo Moura (Gê Moura) on Avenida Domingos de Morais in Vila Mariana, depicting two phases of her career.[138] She died on 8 May 2023, and her public wake was held on 10 May at theProfessor Aristóteles Orsini Planetarium in Ibirapuera Park—a venue she called her "enchanted forest" in her memoirs—drawing thousands of fans and celebrities.[139][140]
In April 2024 a bill to rename Ibirapuera Park "Ibirapuera Park – Rita Lee" was amended; MayorRicardo Nunes signed legislation renaming the park's former Praça da Paz as "Praça da Paz – Rita Lee".[141] In July 2024 theSão Paulo City Council approved Law No. 18,151, establishing 22 May (the feast day ofSaint Rita of Cascia, which Lee symbolically adopted as her "new birthday") as Rita Lee Day.[142]
In 1996 Lee fell from the second-floor balcony of her country farm, shattering hermandibular condyle and requiring surgery to insert titanium pins.[143][144] The incident prompted her to vow to quit drugs and alcohol; she entered rehabilitation in January 2006 and succeeded after attending lectures and therapy.[145] In May 2012 she publicly revealed herbipolar disorder diagnosis, stating it brought relief: "Finally someone told me what I am. The pieces fit."[146]
In May 2021, at age 73, Lee was diagnosed with aprimary tumour in her left lung during a routine check-up; doctors initially predicted three to four months' survival.[147] The cancermetastasised, requiringchemotherapy.[148] In April 2022 scans showed one tumour—nicknamed "Jair" after then-presidentJair Bolsonaro—had disappeared, though the disease spread to other organs.[149]
In February 2023 she was admitted toAlbert Einstein Israelite Hospital in São Paulo in "extremely delicate" condition for tests.[150][151] Discharged in March, she receivedpalliative home care with two nurses,[152] having lost the ability to walk and confined to a hospital bed in her apartment.[153]
On 8 May 2023 Lee's condition worsened, and she died at age 75 at her São Paulo home, surrounded by family.[154] PresidentLuiz Inácio Lula da Silva decreed three days ofnational mourning, stating: "An artist ahead of her time. She considered the title 'Queen of Rock' inappropriate, but the nickname truly fits her trajectory."[155] Her public wake at Ibirapuera Planetarium drew thousands of mourners; as her body was taken for cremation that evening, fans chanted "Rita, eu te amo" ("Rita, I love you") and sang her classic "Ovelha Negra" in farewell.[156]
Lee is widely regarded as the greatest figure in the history ofBrazilian rock and its most successful artist, earning her the enduring title "Queen of Brazilian Rock".[158][159]
Critics and scholars credit her with fundamentally shaping the genre in Brazil at a time when rock was often dismissed by theMPB establishment as a foreign threat. As Thales de Menezes wrote inFolha de S.Paulo, she emerged "during a turbulent period when rock was viewed as a 'cultural villain' by major figures in Brazilian music and arts,"[49] yet ultimately became the voice that legitimised and nationalised the style.[160]
Academic Thiago Vieira (UNESP) emphasises her pivotal role in the Tropicália explosion of 1967, noting that Lee and Os Mutantes "broke down the walls that separated Brazilian music from foreign music" through electric guitars, experimental language, and a libertarian attitude that extended far beyond sound. He describes her as the artist who brought "a rock attitude—not just the music, but a transgressive,underground mindset" while championing women's rights in a way that aligned with global counterculture yet remained unmistakably Brazilian.[161]
Musicologist Luiz Tatit observes that, from Lee onward, "love, marriage, and sexual desire began to be addressed from an uninhibited female perspective in Brazilian song, something no woman had done before."[162] José Antônio Barbosa (USP), in his study of the feminine universe in Lee's lyrics, highlights the candid discourse on female pleasure and autonomy that was unprecedented for a Brazilian female composer.[163] Feminist scholar Ana Karla Marcelino (UFPB) calls her "a remarkable representative of the fight againstpatriarchal ideology,"[164] while Fernando Pereira (Mackenzie Presbyterian University) argues that Lee placed everyday metropolitan femininity on the national agenda: the working woman, the divorced mother, the sexually liberated citizen.
Throughout her career Lee openly confronted taboos—abortion,homosexuality,drugs,divorce, and female desire—often facing censorship and political persecution under themilitary dictatorship. Her fearless public image and lyrics turned her into a symbol of emancipation, earning her both the nickname "black sheep of music" and recognition as one of the country's greatest artists.[165]
On 8 May 2025—two years after Lee's death—the documentaryRita Lee: Mania de Você premiered onHBO Max. Directed by Guido Goldberg and produced by Argentina's Mandarina Contenidos,[166] the film presents an intimate portrait of Lee's life and career through exclusive interviews, archival footage, and testimonies from family, musicians, and celebrities including Gilberto Gil and Ney Matogrosso. A highlight is the reading of a letter Lee wrote to her family shortly before her death, reflecting on her journey and legacy.[167][168]
Less than two weeks later, on 22 May—the feast day ofSaint Rita of Cascia, which Lee had symbolically adopted as her "new birthday" and which São Paulo had officially designated as Rita Lee Day—the documentaryRitas opened in Brazilian cinemas.[169] Directed by Oswaldo Santana and co-directed by Karen Harley, the film eschews celebrity interviews and biographical narration in favor of Lee's own voice, drawn from her career-spanning interviews and self-filmed home videos. It offers a personal glimpse into her reclusive later years, showcasing her garden (tended by Roberto de Carvalho), miniature collection, paintings, pet marmosets, dog, and cats.[168][170] The film quickly became the most-viewed Brazilian documentary in cinemas for the year, surpassing 50,000 admissions.[171]
In May 2023, the same month as Lee's death, a mural by artists Paulo Terra, Pedro Terra, and Eraldo Moura was inaugurated on Avenida Domingos de Morais in Vila Mariana, the São Paulo neighbourhood where she spent her childhood.[138]
In June 2023, a rescued white-lipped pit viper (Trimeresurus insularis) from Indonesia—arriving at theInstituto Butantan in São Paulo on 14 June—was named "Rita Lee" in homage to the singer, inspired by her song "Doce Vampiro" and her advocacy for animal rights.[172]
In April 2024, the city ofJandira (in the metropolitan region of São Paulo) named a street in the Altos de Jandira neighbourhood after Lee, fulfilling a wish she had expressed years earlier.[173]
In May 2024, Rita Lee Park—a 136,000 m² public space with sports facilities, playgrounds, and a splash pad—was inaugurated in theBarra da Tijuca neighbourhood of Rio de Janeiro, part of the repurposedOlympic Park.[174]
In June 2024, Praça da Paz in São Paulo's Ibirapuera Park was renamed "Praça da Paz – Rita Lee" by Mayor Ricardo Nunes, in recognition of her deep connection to the park, which she often called her "enchanted forest."[141]
In July 2024, the São Paulo City Council approved Law No. 18,151, establishing 22 May (the feast day of Saint Rita of Cascia, which Lee symbolically adopted as her "new birthday") as Rita Lee Day in the city.[142]
In 2025, Lee was featured on a set of postage stamps issued byCorreios, alongside themes such as bossa nova and theCOP30 climate conference.[175]
^Three of Lee's albums reached the top ten of Brazil's year-end best-sellers chart according toNopem (representing approximately two-thirds of the Brazilian phonographic market through major retailers in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo):[34]Rita Lee e Roberto de Carvalho (1982) at No. 3,Rita Lee em Bossa 'n Roll (1991) at No. 5, andRita Lee (1980) at No. 7.Fruto Proibido (1975) placed 12th, whileAcústico MTV (1998) andBombom (1983) ranked 45th and 46th, respectively.[35]
^Gláucia Costa de Castro Pimentel, "Mutações em cena: Rita Lee e a Resistência Contracultural". Publ. UEPG Ci. Hum., Ci. Soc. Apl., Ling., Letras e Artes, Ponta Grossa, 11 (2): 7–20, December 2003. Availablehere.
^Fred Goés."Rita Lee: Lady Roque"(PDF) (in Brazilian Portuguese). Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on 6 October 2018.
^"Rita Lee, entrevista" [Rita Lee, interview].Geraldo Mayrink (in Brazilian Portuguese). 8 November 2020. Retrieved29 November 2021.
^"Rita Lee morou ao lado" [Rita Lee lived next door].Pedaço da Vila (in Brazilian Portuguese). 7 February 2020. Retrieved31 December 2022.
^"Cilibrinas do Éden na Phono 73" [Cilibrinas do Éden at Phono 73].Muzicrave (in Brazilian Portuguese).Archived from the original on 14 November 2025. Retrieved14 November 2025.
^"Cilibrinas do Éden" (in Brazilian Portuguese). Museu Virtual do Disco de Vinil. 4 June 2021.Archived from the original on 30 August 2022. Retrieved14 November 2025.
^Magalhães, Mário; Torres, Sérgio (2 June 2000)."Documento revela que o festival de rock de 1975 foi vigiado" [Document reveals that the 1975 rock festival was under surveillance].Folha de S.Paulo (in Brazilian Portuguese). Universo Online. Retrieved5 August 2023.
^abcFacchi, Cleber (18 January 2024)."Cozinhando Discografias: Rita Lee" [Cooking Discographies: Rita Lee].Música Instantânea (in Brazilian Portuguese).Archived from the original on 22 February 2024. Retrieved14 November 2025.
^Fernandes, Rita (15 May 2025)."Roda de Santa Rita faz homenagem aos 50 anos de Fruto Proibido" [Roda de Santa Rita pays tribute to the 50th anniversary of Fruto Proibido].VEJA RIO (in Brazilian Portuguese). Editora Abril.Archived from the original on 14 November 2025. Retrieved14 November 2025.
^abcdVicente, Eduardo."Listagens Nopem 1965–1999" [Nopem Listings 1965–1999](PDF).Nelson Oliveira Pesquisa e Estudo de Mercado (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved18 November 2025 – via Academia.edu.
^abcdEduardo Lima, Carlos (25 April 2014)."Quando Rita Lee Caiu Na Farra" [When Rita Lee Got Wild].Monkeybuzz (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved26 December 2025.
^Samora, Guilherme (27 April 2010)."Rita Lee: "Na minha época, suruba era cultura"" [Rita Lee: 'In my day, orgies were culture'].Quem (in Brazilian Portuguese). Editora Globo. Retrieved5 August 2023.
^abcdHepner, David (30 October 2004)."Rita Lee: O futuro me absolve" [Rita Lee: The future absolves me].Superinteressante (in Brazilian Portuguese). Editora Abril. Retrieved19 December 2025.
^Rodrigues, Julli (18 October 2019)."A segunda vez que Rita Lee arrombou a festa" [The second time Rita Lee crashed the party].Ouvindo Coisas (in Brazilian Portuguese).Archived from the original on 14 December 2020. Retrieved5 August 2023 – via Medium.
^abcBourroul, Beatriz (9 May 2023)."Rita Lee foi recordista em trilhas de novelas" [Rita Lee held the record for soap-opera theme songs].Quem (in Brazilian Portuguese). Editora Globo.Archived from the original on 9 May 2023. Retrieved16 November 2025.
^Feitosa, Beto."As cantoras do rádio em fins dos anos 70" [The radio singers in the late 1970s].Ziriguidum (in Brazilian Portuguese). Universo Online. Archived fromthe original on 18 November 2008. Retrieved19 December 2025.
^"Rita Lee mexe no time e faz a viagem de volta ao Brasil" [Rita Lee messes with the band and makes the return trip to Brazil].Jornal do Brasil (in Brazilian Portuguese). 22 October 1982. p. 5. Retrieved26 December 2025 – via Coleção Digital de Jornais e Revistas da Biblioteca Nacional.
^"Chega de Lero-lero" [Enough with the chit-chat].Jornal do Brasil (in Brazilian Portuguese). Rio de Janeiro. 8 November 1981. Retrieved26 December 2025 – via Coleção Digital de Jornais e Revistas da Biblioteca Nacional.
^Guido Goldberg (2024).Rita Lee: Mania de Você.Mandarina Contenidos (Documentary). HBO Max. Event occurs at 44:23. Retrieved15 November 2025.Then afterSaúde, cameRita Lee e Roberto de Carvalho, that's the name of the album. [...] This record easily sold three million copies.
^"O Circo" (in Brazilian Portuguese). Memória Globo. 29 October 2021.Archived from the original on 30 June 2022. Retrieved20 December 2025.
^"Brasília no tour de Rita Lee" [Brasília on Rita Lee's tour].Correio Braziliense (in Brazilian Portuguese). 7 January 1983. p. 19. Retrieved15 November 2025 – via Coleção Digital de Jornais e Revistas da Biblioteca Nacional.
^"Rita Lee e Roberto Tour 87/88".Correio de Notícias (in Brazilian Portuguese). 18 December 1987. p. 18. Retrieved17 November 2025 – via Coleção Digital de Jornais e Revistas da Biblioteca Nacional.
^"Tour 87/88: Lee e Carvalho".Correio de Notícias (in Brazilian Portuguese). 5 November 1987. p. 16. Retrieved17 November 2025 – via Coleção Digital de Jornais e Revistas da Biblioteca Nacional.
^Miranda, Claudia (9 May 1996)."Uma festa elegante e correta" [An elegant and proper party].Tribuna da Imprensa (in Brazilian Portuguese). p. 13. Retrieved20 November 2025 – via Coleção Digital de Jornais e Revistas da Biblioteca Nacional.
^Miranda, Claudia (9 May 1997)."Uma noite cheia de glamour" [A night full of glamour].Tribuna da Imprensa (in Brazilian Portuguese). p. 13. Retrieved20 November 2025 – via Coleção Digital de Jornais e Revistas da Biblioteca Nacional.
^"Acústico traz Rita 'DesLeegada'" [Unplugged brings Rita 'DesLeegada'].Jornal do Brasil (in Brazilian Portuguese). 4 June 1998. p. 48. Retrieved17 November 2025 – via Coleção Digital de Jornais e Revistas da Biblioteca Nacional.
^Maia, Gustavo (1998)."Ovelha negra de cara limpa" [Black sheep with a clean face].IstoÉ (in Brazilian Portuguese). Terra. Archived fromthe original on 23 November 2001. Retrieved21 July 2017.
^"Semi-reclusa, Rita Lee quer fazer disco new age" [Semi-reclusive, Rita Lee wants to make a new-age album].Folha de S.Paulo (in Brazilian Portuguese). Universo Online. 17 July 2000.Archived from the original on 21 January 2023. Retrieved21 January 2023.
^"Rita Lee namora Beatles e Mutantes" [Rita Lee dates Beatles and Mutantes].Folha de S.Paulo (in Brazilian Portuguese). Universo Online. 25 July 2003.Archived from the original on 25 February 2006. Retrieved2 September 2013.
^Alexandre Sanches, Pedro (19 March 2004)."Rita Lee ultrapassa estresse do sucesso de "Balacobaco"" [Rita Lee overcomes stress from the success of 'Balacobaco'].Folha de S.Paulo (in Brazilian Portuguese). Universo Online. Retrieved22 November 2025.
^"Sob a chuva, 200 mil aplaudem Rita Lee" [Under the rain, 200,000 cheer Rita Lee].Folha de S.Paulo (in Brazilian Portuguese). Universo Online. 26 January 2004. Retrieved16 November 2025.
^"A careta Rita Lee" [The grimacing Rita Lee].IstoÉ (in Brazilian Portuguese). 9 May 2007.Archived from the original on 23 November 2025.
^"Rita Lee".Rolling Stone Brasil (in Brazilian Portuguese). 3 October 2007.Archived from the original on 15 January 2025.
^Gonçalves, Joelma (31 January 2012)."Confira trechos da fala de Rita Lee durante show em SE" [Check excerpts from Rita Lee's speech during the SE show].G1 Sergipe (in Brazilian Portuguese).Archived from the original on 3 February 2012. Retrieved25 April 2023.
^Gois, Ancelmo (16 March 2012)."Ai, Rita te pega".O GLOBO (in Brazilian Portuguese). Editora Globo.Archived from the original on 10 May 2023. Retrieved10 May 2023.
^Samora, Guilherme (26 January 2023)."Rita Lee faz show no aniversário de São Paulo" [Rita Lee performs at São Paulo's birthday celebration].Quem (in Brazilian Portuguese). Editora Globo.Archived from the original on 11 October 2014. Retrieved10 May 2023.
^Branco, Fernando (20 November 2015)."Obra de Rita Lee será lançada em caixa de luxo" [Rita Lee's work to be released in deluxe box set].Tenho Mais Discos Que Amigos (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved21 April 2023.
^Grutter, Felipe (9 May 2023)."Quantos livros Rita Lee escreveu?" [How many books did Rita Lee write?].Rolling Stone Brasil (in Brazilian Portuguese). Universo Online. Retrieved3 July 2023.
^Ribeiro, Teresa (2 June 1991)."As mutações de Rita Lee chegam à tela da MTV" [Rita Lee's mutations arrive on MTV's screen].Folha de S.Paulo (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived fromthe original on 10 October 2014. Retrieved2 September 2013.
^Adán Gil, Marisa (4 October 1996)."Rita Lee vota em São Paulo com bandagem na cabeça" [Rita Lee votes in São Paulo wearing head bandage].Folha de S.Paulo (in Brazilian Portuguese). Universo Online. Retrieved25 April 2023.
^Valéria de Oliveira Gomes (2022).Rita Lee: o querer feminino no rock and roll brasileiro [Rita Lee: female desire in Brazilian rock and roll](PDF) (Thesis) (in Brazilian Portuguese). Mariana/MG: Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto. p. 31. Retrieved11 June 2023 – via Biblioteca Digital de Trabalhos de Conclusão de Curso.
^José Antonio Barbosa Alves dos Santos (2013).As faces de Eva: o universo feminino no léxico de Rita Lee [The faces of Eve: the female universe in Rita Lee's lexicon](PDF) (Thesis) (in Brazilian Portuguese). São Paulo: Universidade de São Paulo. p. 55. Retrieved26 November 2025 – via Biblioteca Digital de Teses e Dissertações da USP.
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