Village People founder Victor Willis dies at 74

Victor Willis, the original lead vocalist and co-founder of the disco group Village People, died on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, after a short but aggressive illness, his wife announced on Facebook. The band also posted a statement confirming his death.

Willis, a Texas native, co-wrote the group's best-known songs, including "Y.M.C.A.," "In the Navy" and "Macho Man," which topped dance floors in the late 1970s. Known for their flamboyant costumes portraying archetypal characters, the Village People became a cultural phenomenon that resonated with the LGBTQ community.

After leaving the group in 1980, Willis returned in 2017. He previously disclosed struggles with drug addiction and a 2006 plea deal for cocaine possession. In a 2015 interview with the San Diego Union-Tribune, he said personal depression led him to substance use.

Willis clarified in a 2020 BBC interview that he never endorsed former President Donald Trump, despite the song "Y.M.C.A." being played at Trump rallies. He noted that U.S. copyright law permits such use without the artist’s permission. The Village People performed the song at a Trump rally in January 2025, shortly before the president’s second inauguration.

"I don't endorse Trump, I've never endorsed Trump, nor has the Village People," Willis said.

"Let's give President Trump a chance, regardless of what you may have thought about him in the past," he added at the time, while stating the group would speak out if policies threatened LGBTQ rights.