Catherine Ringer, voice of Les Rita Mitsouko, dies at 68

musicSep 15, 202639719

Catherine Ringer, cofounder and voice of the French rock duo Les Rita Mitsouko, died at age 68 after a fast-moving cancer, her family announced on Tuesday 15 September. The family said she died in the night of 14 September 2026 and called the news “with immense sadness,” describing Ringer as an “Artiste française majeure.” Born in 1957 in Suresnes in the Hauts-de-Seine, Ringer formed Les Rita Mitsouko with partner Fred Chichin and was known for hits such as “Marcia Baïla,” “C’est comme ça,” “Andy,” and “Les histoires d’amour finissent mal.” Fred Chichin died in 2007, also of a rapid cancer at age 53, after which Ringer briefly left the stage before returning to perform and continue the band’s legacy. Her family said she marked several generations with her voice, her freedom, and her singularity.

Daisy Dratations

@daisyletourneur.bsky.social

Je suis a peu près certaine que Catherine Ringer n'avait pas d'amis au GUD

14924d ago

Fip

@fip.fr

Libre, insolente, imprévisible, furieusement vivante. #CatherineRinger aura fait danser plusieurs générations sur une musique qui ne ressemblait à aucune autre 💗 Fip lui rend hommage rend ce soir à 20h dans Fip Tape 🎧

8825d ago

Quoting this

Strips Journal3

Repose en paix Catherine Ringer :/ Une vie punk !

The Spaceshipper 🚀

@thespaceshipper.com

RIP Catherine Ringer (1957-2026), a talented French singer-songwriter who sang in Les Rita Mitsouko. Songs that accompanied my youth.

8325d ago

The Spaceshipper 🚀13

It’s one of the few music groups I loved as a child and still love today.

Gary Erskine3

oh, that hurts. I remember when the band were mainstays of early MTV in the UK with "Y'a d'la haine" when growing up. A quirky group with Catherine's wonderfully eccentic voice and presence especially on "Les Amants" with it's heartbreakingly raw vocal.

Alexander Diehl1

Growing up on the other side of the Rhine, I merely was blessed with this gem www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6gw...

Quoting this

Dr Panti Bliss-Cabrera21

Oh. I used to do this number very regularly in my old bar show. It's an absolute banger. RIP to a real one.

Josef O'Shea3

Sorry to hear this - very quirky, catchy 80s pop - Jean Paul Gaultier designed a few of their videos. Fun.

Jeremy Allen

@jeres.bsky.social

Gutted to learn that Catherine Ringer of Les Rita Mitsouko has died of cancer aged 68. If you don't know the band then they're definitely worth checking out - all the albums were good but especially the debut as well as The No Comprendo, produced by Tony Visconti.

3825d ago

Jeremy Allen8

But even Système D in 1993 was great. LRM came to a natural end in 2007 when Ringer's partner Frédéric Chichin died. Famously Gainsbourg called her a "pute" on live television and she stood her ground and made him look like the drunken arsehole he often could be youtu.be/586WBOVBwS4?...

alexander-sims.bsky.social1

I remember her from a life I once lead. Variety was the spice for her ✌️

Stuart Benjamin Pulls It Off.1

Ah man, no way! 😞

Ana Leorne1

Super sad news. One of my bands (The Clits) was hugely influenced by LRM. I was lucky to catch her live a couple of years ago at the Bus Palladium closing party.

Quoting this

DavidMcKenna6

Yes the first two albums are real gems.

Les Jours

@lesjours.fr

🎶«FACE A, FACE B»🎶 Du duo des Rita Mitsouko au solo de Catherine Ringer, tout juste emportée par un cancer à l’âge de 68 ans, les deux faces d’une déflagration musicale apparue dans les années 80. 🧵 🔗lesjours.fr/obsessio...

2524d ago

Quoting this

Les Garriberts5

Alors qu'elle semblait quand même forte comme une fusée, Catherine Ringer

Nolwenn

@nolwenn.bsky.social

de retour finalement parce que la mort de Catherine Ringer c'est beaucoup trop triste youtu.be/idCPng3w0Zw?...

4225d ago

Verpin1

Elle fait partie des gens qui, lorsqu'ils partent, emmènent avec eux un peu de chacun d'entre nous.

Bérénice Caïpirinha1

Ça fait plaisir de te lire même si 💔

Jesse Hawken

@jessehawken.bsky.social

RIP Catherine Ringer from Les Rita Mitsouko, very important band for me youtu.be/ln0VwCqMkcA?...

2324d ago

Sean Walters

@seanwrite.bsky.social

Sorry to hear Catherine Ringer, frontwoman for acclaimed French new wave group Les Rita Mitsouko, has died at 68. The group worked with producers such as Conny Plank and Tony Visconti and collaborated with artists such as Iggy Pop and Sparks. #RIPCatherineRinger m.youtube.com/watch?v=wJrt...

2625d ago

Quoting this

Javier Giménez 🇵🇾7

again, not a #RandomTelevisionGIF #️⃣RandomMusicVideoGIF rest in peace Catherine Ringer

Blank Jimmy2

Too young... She will be missed.

La Femme Merveilleuse Invisible

@larwoolf.bsky.social

RIP Catherine Ringer withnFred Chichin Rita Mitsuko 1988. Paris By Robert Doisneau

1524d ago

Paul Cohen

@paulecohen.bsky.social

son départ fait mal, très mal adieu l'artiste, et merci www.youtube.com/watch?v=dre6...

1725d ago

Philippe Auclair

@philippeauclair.bsky.social

Such sad news. Catherine Ringer, vocalist, dancer, songwriter, inspiration to so many, has died, aged only 68, killed by cancer. Her beloved partner Fred Chichin had fallen to the same disease nearly two decades ago.

1924d ago

mr pingouin 🐧

@pingouinpierre.bsky.social

Ma Catherine Ringer, c’est cette carte postale de Rita Mitsouko qui trône chez moi depuis 1984, Oum Khalsoum sur la première compile en K7 offerte à ma chérie, le concert d’inauguration de la Coopé par les Rita le 7 mars 2000 ("ça sent le ciment ici") ….

1924d ago

Brevesdepresse

@brevesdepresse.bsky.social

⚡️🇫🇷FLASH - Catherine #Ringer, chanteuse emblématique qui avait fondé avec Fred Chichin le groupe de rock Les Rita Mitsouko, est morte à l’âge de 68 ans d’un cancer foudroyant. (famille)

1324d ago

Momo Rulez 🏳️‍🌈

@momorulez.bsky.social

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ln0V... Les Rita Mitsouku waren in den 80ern wirklich ein Ereignis, mehr als "nur" Musik mit einer unfassbaren Wucht und Originalität, Catherine Ringer eine unfassbar beeindruckende, starke. durch und durch unkonventionelle Frau. R.i.P. 🖤🖤🖤

824d ago

Lise StA 🌎🇨🇦

@mesigma1.bsky.social

Cette excellente prestation presque 'a capella' ... 💜 r.i.p. Catherine Ringer 😔 www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUjn...

1024d ago

Quoting this

Rosella Melanson3

Les Rita Mitsouko J'étais en France, écoutant sur une radio à batterie. Ils étaient comme des ovni. Comme Angine de poitrine mais avec un plus gros impact politique, féministe. J'ai aimé cette personne.

3 sources

lemonde.frCatherine Ringer, célèbre voix des Rita Mitsouko, est morte nouvelobs.comCatherine Ringer, chanteuse emblématique des Rita Mitsouko, est morte à l’âge de 68 ans bfmtv.com"Emportée par un cancer foudroyant": Catherine Ringer, célèbre voix des Rita Mitsouko, est morte à l'âge de 68 ans

Aaron Rowe withdraws from Ed Sheeran tourmusic Catherine Ringer, voice of Les Rita Mitsouko, dies at 68music

Catherine Ringer, voice of Les Rita Mitsouko, dies at 68

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