Catherine Ringer (French: [katʁin ʁɛ̃ʒe]; 18 October 1957 – 14 September 2026) was a French singer, songwriter, composer, multi-instrumentalist, dancer, choreographer, actress, former pornographic performer, and co-founder of the pop rock group Les Rita Mitsouko. She was the daughter of French artist Sam Ringer. She was also the lead vocalist for Plaza Francia Orchestra where she performed with Eduardo Makaroff and Christoph H. Müller, formerly of Gotan Project.
Ringer started her professional career on stage in the late 1970s in productions with Michael Lonsdale's Théâtre de Recherche Musicale as well as musical and dance productions. In 1976, she met the Argentine dancer and choreographer Marcia Moretto with whom she studied and also performed in various venues in Paris. The hit song "Marcia Baïla" was written as a tribute to Moretto after her death in 1981.
In 1979, she met Fred Chichin with whom she founded and co-led the music group Les Rita Mitsouko. Ringer continued leading the group after Chichin's death in November 2007.
Following the release of the 2010 Gotan Project album Tango 3.0, Ringer teamed up with members Eduardo Makaroff and Christoph H. Müller to create Plaza Francia, now known as Plaza Francia Orchestra for their 7 April 2014 release A New Tango Song Book. The album was met with critical acclaim and was a commercial success in France and Belgium.
She died in her sleep on 14 September 2026 aged 68 following a battle with cancer.
2014: A New Tango Song Book (with Plaza Francia)
2017: Chroniques et Fantaisies
1988: Qu’est-Ce Que T’es Belle (featuring Marc Lavoine)
2008: Parle plus bas (featuring Mauro Gioia)
2014: La Mano Encima (with Plaza Francia)
2014: Secreto (with Plaza Francia)
2014: Idées noires (featuring Bernard Lavilliers)
1995: "Peut-être ce soir" (from the album Roots by Coba)
1998: "Rendez-Vous" (from the album Conscious Posi by Coba)
1998: "Sa raison d'être" (from the album Ensemble, AIDS charity)
1998: "Paranoïa" (from the album Les Liaisons Dangereuses by Doc Gyneco)
2002: "Tawes" (from the album "Uni-vers-elles" by Djura)
2004: "La bohême" duo with Corneille (CD and DVD)