Victor Willis, the founding lead singer of Village People and co-writer of some of the group's biggest hits, has died at age 74.
His family announced his passing in a statement posted to the band's official Facebook page: "We are profoundly sad to announce the death of Victor Willis, lead singer of Village People. Victor passed on Tuesday, June 30, 2026 of a short but aggressive illness. Privacy is requested."
Long before disco fame, Willis's voice was shaped in church. Born in San Francisco to a Baptist preacher, he grew up singing gospel music in his father's congregation.
That foundation carried him into acting and dance, and eventually a role in the original Broadway production of "The Wiz" in 1976.
A year later, producer Jacques Morali brought Willis on to front a new musical project. The result was Village People, whose 1978 single "YMCA" became a defining anthem of the era and remains one of the most recognized songs in pop history - added to the Library of Congress's National Recording Registry in 2020. Willis also co-wrote hits including "In the Navy" and "Macho Man."
Willis stepped away from the group in the early 1980s and spent years fighting for the rights to the music he helped create, ultimately winning a landmark 2012 copyright case.
He returned to lead Village People again in 2017, continuing to perform the songs that made him a household name.
Willis is survived by his family, who have asked for privacy as they grieve. His voice - rooted first in a small Baptist church - went on to reach millions.
