Village People lead singer Victor Willis has died. He was 74 years old.
“We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Village People lead singer Victor Willis,” the band confirmed on Facebook.
“Victor passed away on Monday, June 30, 2026, after a short but progressive illness. Privacy is requested.”
Willis, who died the day before his 75th birthday, was known for dressing up as a police officer or naval officer when performing with his popular disco group.
The Texas-born singer was the lead vocalist and co-writer of the band’s biggest hits, including “YMCA,” “Go West” and “In the Navy.”
Released in 1978, “YMCA” recently became the anthem of Donald Trump’s campaign rallies.
Willis and the group have previously opposed President Trump’s use of the song, issuing a cease-and-desist order after “Macho Man” was performed at an event at Mar-a-Lago in 2023.
He and the band supported Kamala Harris during the 2024 campaign, and later performed at President Trump’s inauguration in Washington in 2025.
“Our song ‘YMCA’ is a global anthem that we hope will bring the country together after a chaotic and divisive election campaign in which our favored candidate lost,” Willis wrote on Facebook at the time.
“Therefore, we believe now is the time to unite the nation through music. That’s why Village People will be performing at various events as part of President Donald J. Trump’s 2025 Inauguration.”
Village People’s name refers to Manhattan’s Greenwich Village, which has long been associated with gay culture, but Willis has often rejected the idea that “YMCA” is a gay anthem, saying people need to “get out of the groove” and claiming that interpretation is “based solely on the song’s lyrics, which allude to aimless (illegal) activity.”
Born Victor Edward Willis in Dallas and raised in San Francisco, he began singing gospel music at his father’s Baptist church before focusing on acting. He moved to New York and found success on Broadway, including a role in “The Wiz.”
Later, in the mid-1970s, he teamed up with French producer Jacques Morari to form Village People.
Willis left the group in 1980 and spent years fighting legal battles over songwriting credits. He rejoined in 2017, eventually becoming the only original member.
Willis won a legal victory in 2012 that allowed him to regain the rights to the group’s signature songs, including “YMCA,” “Go West,” and “In the Navy,” but a jury later ruled that Willis and Morari were the sole lyricists for 13 Village People songs.
He married Karen Hough Willis in 2007 and the couple lived in San Diego.
Village People completed the first leg of their European tour in May, with additional dates scheduled for later this summer in Italy and France.
