Victor Willis, Village People lead singer, dies aged 74

BREAKING NEWSJul. 1, 2026, 9:44 AM UTCU.S. newsU.S. newsVictor Willis, Village People lead singer, dies aged 74Willis died of a “short but aggressive illness,” his band said in a statement.Listen to this article with a free profile00:0000:00Victor Willis performs with the Village People in Chicago in 1979. Paul Natkin / Getty ImagesShareAdd NBC News to GoogleBy Adela SulimanVictor Willis, 74, the lead singer of the 1970’s disco-group Village People, has died, his team said Wednesday.Limited time: Save 25% on NBC News subscriptionGet exclusive reporting, live Q&As and ad-free reading.“We are profoundly sad to announce the death of VICTOR WILLIS, lead singer of Village People,” according to a statement posted on the band’s official Facebook Page.“Victor passed on Tuesday June 30, 2026 of a short but aggressive illness. Privacy is requested,” it added.The Village pCBS Photo Archive / Getty Images fileTexas-born Willis was a co-founder and original lead singer for the band who wrote many of their songs and was perhaps best known for dressing as a cop, with the hit single “YMCA.”He left the group in 1979 in hopes of embarking on a solo career. ShareAdd NBC News to GoogleAdela SulimanAdela Suliman is a breaking-news editor and reporter for NBC News in London.