Village People lead singer and 'Y.M.C.A' co-writer Victor Willis dies aged 75

Willis was a founding member of Village People, whose hits include ‘Y.M.C.A’, ‘Go West’ and ‘In The Navy’. Victor Willis, the lead singer of iconic disco group Village People, has died aged 75. The news was announced on the band’s social media accounts, with a post that read: “We are profoundly sad to announce the death of VICTOR WILLIS, lead singer of Village People. Victor passed on Monday June 30, 2026 of a short but aggressive illness. Privacy is requested.” No further details have been provided regarding the cause of death. Willis was a founding member of Village People, whose hits include ‘Y.M.C.A’, ‘Go West’ and ‘In The Navy’ - all of which Willis co-wrote. The costumed band formed in the late 70s, with Willis dressing as a police officer. He exited the group in the early 80s, and in 2012, he won a legal battle over the rights to tracks including 'Y.M.C.A' and 'In The Navy'. In 2017, Willis rejoined Village People and in recent years, they have been part of the cultural conversation in part thanks to Donald Trump, who began using their music at his rallies. Willis and the band even performed a pre-inauguration rally when Trump secured his second White House term. This caused upset among fans, as ‘YMCA’ and several of the band’s hits have gained popularity as LGBTQ+ anthems and are seen as antithetical to many of the Trump administration's values. The band’s name is even a reference to the gay district of Greenwich Village. Regardless, in 2024, Willis denied the song was a gay anthem, saying people needed to “get their minds out of the gutter”. He added that the “false assumptions were damaging to the song”. Willis is survived by his wife, Karen Huff-Willis.