Victor Willis, the lead singer of Village People passed away aged 74, the band shared in a statement on the socila media.
“We are profoundly sad to announce the death of VICTOR WILLIS, lead singer of Village People,” the band said on Facebook. “Victor passed on Monday, June 30, 2026, of a short but aggressive illness. Privacy is requested.”
If you’ve ever danced to YMCA or Macho Man, then you know what Willis’ voice was truly capable of. He was essentially the soundtrack to the disco era, and not only did he sing those massive tracks like In the Navy and Go West, but he actually co-wrote them too, cementing his place in pop culture history.
Back in the late 70s, Willis was starring in the original Broadway run of The Wiz when the group came together and rose to stardom, enchanting millions of fans worldwide. The band’s iconic name is a direct shout-out to Greenwich Village in Manhattan, which was the absolute epicenter of New York’s LGBTQ+ scene at the time.
When the group blew up, it was Willis who was at the center of the madness. While most of their songs remain iconic, one particular one, probably the band’s biggest hit, found a surprisingly new spotlight decades later: Donald Trump’s campaign rallies.
Namely, Trump made YMCA his go-to closing track, complete with his famous fist-pump dance, a move that eventually prompted Willis to ask the former president to drop the song from his playlist.
Per Variety, Trump revealed in May that his wife, Melania, “hates” when he dances to the song he branded the “gay national anthem.”
“We love that song,” Trump added.
But Willis wasn’t the first ever musician to ask from the president to stop using one of their songs. The list includes Aerosmith, Adele, Celine Dion, Elton John, Foo Fighters, and Guns N’ Roses, among the rest.
Back in 2020, Victor Willis told BBC News that even though the group “benefited greatly” from all the extra exposure they got from Trump playing the song, they wanted to clear the air, neither he nor the Village People had ever actually endorsed him.
“We have even asked him to stop playing his music at his rallies,” Willis said, The Independent reported.
Well, Trump remembered it totally differently. According to him, Willis “was a great and happy guy who loved that” the president used YMCA at his rallies.
“He was a great and happy guy who loved that I used his groups song, YMCA, at my Rallies,” Donald Trump claimed on Truth Social.
“It became a “monster” hit, again, 30 years after its original launch. Many singers and groups wanted to get on board at the Rallies after all of the Rally Attendance Records were set – The crowds were, and are, enormous – But Victor and the group was there for us right from the beginning! They loved the action, and we loved them and their great and uplifting song.”
The president added, “We will think of Victor every time YMCA is played, like today, and all throughout this July Fourth Birthday week. My condolences to his wonderful family and group, Victor Willis will be sorely missed, God Bless Him!!!”
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