Born in Indonesia and raised in Singapore, Remy Lai later moved to Australia. In 2019, when she published her debut children's book, she was based in Brisbane.
In August 2022, her forthcoming semi-autobiographical children's graphic novel Chickenpox was announced, with a 2025 publication date. In June 2024, it was announced that she would publish her forthcoming book, An Ancient Witch's Guide to Modern Dating, under the pseudonym 'Cecilia Edward'.