Victor Willis, the lead singer and theatrical frontman of Village People, has died at 74, the group announced in a social media post.

The band said Willis died Monday after “a short but aggressive illness.” His exact cause of death was not disclosed.

The voice behind the band’s biggest songs

Willis helped define Village People’s sound during the disco group’s late-1970s rise, when its members performed in highly recognizable stage costumes, including police officer and naval officer outfits. Subtle, it was not. Effective, very much so.

He also co-wrote several of the group’s best-known tracks, including:

  • “YMCA”
  • “Macho Man”
  • “Go West”
  • “In The Navy”

Those songs became the band’s commercial engine and turned Village People into one of the most recognizable acts of the disco era.

A split, a copyright fight, and a return

Willis left Village People in 1980. After his departure, he became involved in a legal dispute with other members over copyright issues tied to songs he had written.

Decades later, in 2017, Willis returned to the group. He remained closely associated with its signature material, including “YMCA,” which he performed at a pre-inauguration rally for President Trump in January 2025.

Willis was 74.