Victor Willis, Village People Lead Singer and 'Y.M.C.A.' Co-Writer, Dies
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- Victor Willis, 74, lead singer and co-writer of Village People's hits like "Y.M.C.A.", died Tuesday, June 30, 2026, from a short, aggressive illness, his spouse announced.
- He co-founded the disco group and rejoined in 2017.
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Victor Willis, lead singer of the Village People, co-wrote hits like "Y.M.C.A." and was known for the group's flamboyant costumes and targeting the gay disco audience. He struggled with drug addiction.
Victor Willis, lead singer of the disco group Village People whose hit Y.M.C.A. became a fixture at rallies for US President Donald Trump, has died, his spouse said in a Facebook post on Wednesday.
“It is with profound sadness that I must announce the death of my husband, VICTOR WILLIS. Victor passed away on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, as a result of a short, but aggressive illness,” the post on Willis’s official page said.
The Texas-born musician, who was 74, was a co-founder of the Village People and co-wrote hits including Y.M.C.A., In the Navy and Macho Man that swept the world’s dance floors in the late 1970s.
With their flamboyant costumes and choreography, the group became a pop culture phenomenon, targeting disco’s large gay audience with camp fantasy characters of butch builders, bikers, cowboys and soldiers.
Willis left the group in 1980 but joined again in 2017.
He struggled with drug addiction and took a plea deal over cocaine possession in 2006.
