Disco Icon Victor Willis, Voice Behind YMCA, Dies at 74

Victor Willis, the Village People’s frontman and co-writer of disco hits like YMCA and Macho Man, died at 74 after a short illness, per his wife. Willis helped define disco’s inclusive, flamboyant era with the group’s iconic costumes, led the act through its peak years, and later navigated rights battles before briefly reuniting with the band from 2017 to 2023, leaving a lasting legacy—most notably YMCA, which remains a cultural touchstone and was preserved by the Library of Congress.