Victor Willis, Founding Village People Singer and ‘YMCA’ Co-Writer, Dies at 74

Victor Willis, the founding singer and frontman of the disco-era group Village People and a credited co-writer of the band’s best-known hit, “YMCA,” died on Monday, June 30, his death announced by Billboard. He was 74.

According to Billboard, Willis died after what it described as a “short but aggressive illness.” The report did not specify the medical condition or additional details about the illness.

Willis helped define Village People’s distinctive onstage image, built around costumed performances and choreographed presentation, as the group became one of the most recognizable acts of the late 1970s. The band’s mainstream breakthrough included multiple songs that remain closely associated with Willis’ songwriting credits and public identity.

Billboard credited Willis with co-writing “YMCA,” along with other well-known Village People songs including “Macho Man” and “In the Navy.” Those tracks helped establish the group’s commercial momentum at the time and have continued to shape the way “YMCA” is remembered culturally.

The news underscores the continuing reach of Willis’ work beyond its original disco context. “YMCA” in particular has remained a widely recognizable anthem in public venues, in part because of its simple call-and-response structure and its long-running presence in broadcast and entertainment programming.

While Willis’ death marks the loss of a central figure in Village People’s early era, the group’s catalog remains active through ongoing distribution of its recordings and publishing arrangements connected to the credited songwriters.

No immediate details were provided by Billboard about memorial arrangements, surviving family, or whether Village People planned any specific public tribute. Additional information, if any, would likely emerge from Willis’ representatives and the band’s management or music rights holders.