Catherine Ringer (18 October 1957 – 14 September 2026) was a French singer, songwriter, composer, multi-instrumentalist, dancer and choreographer, best known as co-founder and lead vocalist of the pop rock group Les Rita Mitsouko. She was also active as an actress and as a performer in adult films. Later in her career she led the Plaza Francia Orchestra, formed with members of the Gotan Project, and she continued leading Les Rita Mitsouko after the death of her musical partner Fred Chichin in 2007. She died in Paris at the age of 68.
Early career
Ringer began performing on stage in the late 1970s, working with Michael Lonsdale's Théâtre de Recherche Musicale and in musical and dance productions. In 1976 she met the Argentine dancer and choreographer Marcia Moretto, with whom she studied and performed in Paris. The song "Marcia Baïla" was written as a tribute to Moretto after her death in 1981. In 1979 she met Fred Chichin, and the two founded Les Rita Mitsouko.
Later work
After the 2010 Gotan Project album Tango 3.0, Ringer joined members Eduardo Makaroff and Christoph H. Müller to form Plaza Francia, later known as Plaza Francia Orchestra. Their 2014 album A New Tango Song Book received critical acclaim and was a commercial success in France and Belgium. Her solo output includes the 2011 album Ring n' Roll and the 2017 album Chroniques et Fantaisies.