Victor Willis, Lead Singer of Village People and Voice Behind YMCA, Dies at 74

Victor Willis, the lead vocalist of the iconic disco group Village People, passed away at the age of 74 after a brief but aggressive illness, the band announced on their Facebook page. Born in Texas, Willis was the primary singer and co-writer of some of the group's biggest hits, including "Y.M.C.A.", "Go West", and "In the Navy". Village People rose to fame in the 1970s with their distinctive performances featuring members dressed as stereotypical masculine characters, with Willis often portraying a police officer or naval officer.

Willis left the band in 1980 and subsequently engaged in a lengthy legal battle over the copyrights of the songs he helped write. He rejoined the group in 2017 and notably performed "Y.M.C.A." at a rally held by Donald Trump in January 2025 ahead of Trump's second presidential inauguration. The 1978 disco anthem is globally recognized, especially for its accompanying hand movements forming the letters Y-M-C-A, and has been a recurring feature at Trump’s rallies since his first term.

In recent years, Willis's dance moves to the song became viral online. Earlier in May, Trump remarked that his wife Melania disliked his dancing to the Village People’s song, referring to it as "the national anthem of the gays." The family has requested privacy following Willis's death.