According to NME, Victor Willis, frontman of Village People, died yesterday from an undisclosed illness. He was 74.

The frontman was a founding member of Village People from the band’s kick-off in 1977 until their hiatus in 1980. Willis didn’t return until 2017, when he reclaimed his position as frontman. During his time in the band, he helped write some of their most successful songs, including “Y.M.C.A.,” “In The Navy,” “Go West” and “Macho Man.”

Willis was part of longstanding copyright disputes regarding some of the songs he wrote for Village People. In 2012, he won a case giving him back partial ownership of tracks he had written for the band. Then in 2015, he received a 50 percent claim to the songs.

Recently, Willis and Village People came under controversy for performing at Donald Trump’s 2025 presidential inauguration. The band wrote a statement to fans preceding the event, saying that they “believe that music is to be performed without regard to politics.” They also shared that they hoped their song “Y.M.C.A.”—which they performed at the inauguration—would “bring the country together after a tumultuous and divided campaign where our preferred candidate lost.”

Willis originally ordered Trump not to use the song in his 2020 campaign, but retracted his statement in 2021. The president has used the song numerous times since, even being filmed dancing to it. Willis spoke of the song’s increased popularity since Trump had promoted it, citing its rise to number one on the Billboard charts and being estimated to gross “several million dollars” as a result.

“I’m glad I allowed the President Elect’s continued use of ‘Y.M.C.A.’ and I thank him for choosing to use my song,” he said. “[…] I simply didn’t have the heart to prevent his continued use of my song in the face of so many artists withdrawing his use of their material. So I told my wife to inform BMI to not withdraw the Trump campaign political use license.”

Village People put out a statement on their official social media accounts following Willis’s death. As did his widow, Karen-Huff Willis, who posted on his personal account.

“It is with profound sadness that I must announce the death of my husband, VICTOR WILLIS,” she wrote. “Victor passed away on Tuesday June 30, 2026 as a result of a short, but aggressive illness. The family request privacy at this time of great loss.”

The band’s statement was nearly the same. They wrote, “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.”