Catherine Ringer Has Died

The singer died at the age of 68 from a “sudden cancer”, her relatives announced.

Catherine Ringer, singer of the legendary duo Les Rita Mitsouko, died of cancer at the age of 68, her manager announced Tuesday to George V Magazine. “It is with immense sadness that the family and loved ones of Catherine Ringer announce her death, taken by a sudden cancer on the night of September 14, 2026,” the family stated in a press release published shortly after noon.

Born to a Polish father who was a painter and an architect mother, Catherine Ringer left home at the age of 13 to live with her lover. After university studies, she began studying theater and dance. In her early twenties, she appeared in a few pornographic films. Without disowning this experience, she would later say that she had lived “a modern adventure.”

A musical shock

She met guitarist Frédéric Chichin at the theater in 1979, and from then on, they were inseparable. A rock duo was born: Les Rita Mitsouko. A true musical sensation. In 1985, the public discovered a young singer as charismatic as she was explosive. Alongside the late Fred Chichin, Catherine Ringer propelled Les Rita Mitsouko to stardom thanks to the unforgettable song “Marcia Baila.” Many other hits, such as “Andy,” “C’est comme ça,” “Les Histoires d’A,” “Y’a d’la haine,” and “Les Amants,” would follow over the decades.

Il suffisait de quelques notes pour reconnaître sa voix. De quelques secondes sur scène pour saisir cette énergie qui n’appartenait qu’à elle.

Des Rita Mitsouko à sa carrière solo, libre, audacieuse, inimitable, Catherine Ringer aura marqué la musique française.

J’adresse mes… pic.twitter.com/A7A7ddfqF5

— Yaël Braun-Pivet (@YaelBRAUNPIVET) September 15, 2026

Despite the sudden loss of her alter ego in 2007, this fan of Brassens and the Velvet Underground bounced back. Two years later, audiences rediscovered her in her guise as an adorably provocative artist. Going against the grain, she performed “Je kiffe Raymond,” a song dedicated to the highly unpopular Domenech. She was later heard on the soundtracks of Tony Gatlif’s ” Liberté” and Luc Besson’s “The Extraordinary Adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec.” This output was clearly insufficient for her many admirers, which is why they will surely flock to see the highly anticipated “Ring N’ Roll ” at the end of April . Catherine Ringer’s unique personality continues to attract a large following.

Catherine Ringer had cancelled some dates this summer for medical reasons, without any information emerging about her precise state of health.