Anita Mui

Hong Kong pop diva Anita Mui was one of the most beloved stars in Asia, selling over ten million albums of songs sung in Cantonese, Mandarin, and Japanese. Mui began singing in nightclubs at the age of four, but her big break came in 1982, when she won first place in a major talent contest. In many ways, Mui's career mirrored that of Madonna. Both stars broke out in the early '80s, both conquered the film world, and both were renowned for their flashy stage shows with multiple costume changes. As an actor, Anita Mui starred in several Hong Kong blockbusters, several of which had great crossover appeal in the U.S., including Rumble in the Bronx (with Jackie Chan) and My Father Is a Hero (with Jet Li). Mui retired from music in 1991, but staged a successful comeback in 1994 and continued to perform regularly thereafter. In September of 2003, Mui announced that she was diagnosed with cancer. She continued to soldier on with her career despite her health problems and held several concerts in November. By December her condition had worsened and the Hong Kong superstar was hospitalized. On December 30, 2003, Anita Mui died at the age of 40. ~ Wade Kergan