American Disco vocalist Victor Willis, of the group the Village People, performs onstage at the Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois, June 21, 1979. Visible in the background is Felipe Rose.Paul Natkin/Getty Images

Victor Willis, Village People lead singer, dies aged 74

Willis died of a “short but aggressive illness,” his band said in a statement.

by · 5 NBCDFW

Victor Willis, 74, the lead singer of the 1970’s disco-group Village People, has died, his team said Wednesday.

“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 band Village People (Victor Willis, Randy Jones, David Hodo, Felipe Rose and Glen Hughes) in New York in 1979.Jean-Louis Atlan/Sygma via Getty Images

Texas-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.