1 July 2026<\/time>\n <\/p>\nThe Village People frontman Victor Willis has died at 75. <\/p>\n
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The Village People’s Victor Willis dies<\/p>\n
The singer – one of the founding members of the band, most famous for their track YMCA – passed away after a \u201cshort but aggressive illness\u201d. <\/p>\n
His death was announced on Facebook as his family posted a brief statement, which read: \u201cWe are profoundly sad to announce the death of VICTOR WILLIS, lead singer of Village People.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cVictor passed on Tuesday, June 30, 2026 of a short but aggressive illness. Privacy is requested.\u201d<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
No further details about his health battle were released.<\/p>\n
\nFollowing the announcement, Willis\u2019 widow Karen Huff-Willis said in her own statement: \u201cIt is with profound sadness that I must announce the death of my husband, Victor Willis.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cVictor 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nWillis first showed off his vocal talents in a gospel choir at his father\u2019s Baptist church.<\/p>\n
\nHe went on to pursue acting, and performed on Broadway in William F. Brown\u2019s The Wiz, before going on to team up with French producer Jacques Morali.<\/p>\n
\nThe pair founded The Village People – named after Manhattan\u2019s Greenwich village – in 1977, and they had a worldwide smash hit with YMCA the following year. <\/p>\n
\nThe song remains a favourite at parties and weddings, but has most recently been associated with US President Donald Trump – who frequently uses it at his Make America Great Again rallies and Mar-a-Lago fundraisers. <\/p>\n
\nAs the song plays and his supporters sing along, Trump dances to The Village People – although stops short at performing the famous arm movements. <\/p>\n
\nHe also called the track a \u201cgay anthem\u201d at a campaign rally as he said: \u201cThey have that song. The gay national anthem if you remember.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\u201cThat’s why I did so well with the gay vote I think because of that song. I did great with the gay vote. Better than any Republican’s ever done by far.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nHowever, Willis disagreed with Trump\u2019s assessment, and said in a statement: \u201cCome January 2025, my wife will start suing each\u00a0and every news organisation that falsely refers to YMCA, either in their headlines or alluded to in the base of the story, that YMCA is somehow a gay anthem because such notion is based solely on the song\u2019s lyrics alluding to elicit activity for which it does not.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nFollowing the success of YMCA, The Village People went on to release further smash hits such as Go West and Macho Man.<\/p>\n
\nWillis left the band in 1980 before returning to become the only remaining original member of the band on their numerous tours.<\/p>\n
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