Victor Willis of the Village People dies of a “short but aggressive illness.” He was 74.

Victor Willis, the lead singer of the musical group Village People, has died.

Willis, the voice of such hits as “Y.M.C.A.,” “Go West” and “In the Navy, was 74.

“We are profoundly sad to announce the death of VICTOR WILLIS, lead singer of Village People,” according to a statement posted on the band’sofficial Facebook Page.

“Victor passed on Tuesday June 30, 2026, of a short but aggressive illness,” the post continued. “Privacy is requested.”

His wife, Karen Huff Willis, posted a similar statement on Facebook.

Willis, who was born in Texas, was a co-founder, original lead singer and “cop” for the band.

He left the group in 1979 to start a solo career. He reformed the group in 2017, which led to disputes with former bandmates.

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“Y.M.C.A.” recently saw a resurgence in popularity afterPresident 👤Donald Trump started dancing to it at the end of his campaign rallies in 2020.

Willis received complaints about Trump’s use of the song and had decided to ask the president “to stop using Y.M.C.A. because his use had become a nuisance to me.”

However, Willis concluded Trump “seems to genuinely like ‘Y.M.C.A.’ and he’s having a lot of fun with it. As such, I simply didn’t have the heart to prevent his continued use of my song,” he said in a 2024 statement.

He added the “financial benefits have been great.”

Willis performed the song at Trump’s pre-inauguration rally in January 2025.

Trump expressed his sympathies in a post on Truth Social Wednesday morning.

“He was a great and happy guy who loved that I used his groups song, 🏛️YMCA, at my Rallies. It became a “monster” hit, again, 30 years after its original launch,” Trump wrote. “Many singers and groups wanted to get on board at the Rallies after all of the Rally Attendance Records were set - The crowds were, and are, enormous - But Victor and the group was there for us right from the beginning”

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“They loved the action, and we loved them and their great and uplifting song. We will think of Victor every time 🏛️YMCA is played, like today, and all throughout this July Fourth Birthday week. My condolences to his wonderful family and group, Victor Willis will be sorely missed, God Bless Him!!! Trump added.

Willis also corrected the “false assumption” Y.M.C.A. was a “gay anthem.”

He said the song was based on “the things I knew about the Y in the urban areas of San Francisco such as swimming, basketball, track, and cheap food and cheap rooms.”