Victor Willis obituary

Victor Willis, who has died aged 74 after suffering from “a short but aggressive illness”, was the lead vocalist of the disco group Village People, and the most instantly memorable member of this most flamboyant of combos. Willis would often perform onstage wearing the uniform of a policeman or a naval officer, while his bandmates dressed as a cowboy, a construction worker, a GI, a leather-clad biker or a Native American chief. The idea, conceived by the group’s svengalis, Jacques Morali and Henri Belolo, was that they would represent a range of American male stereotypes. Their biggest and most enduring hit was YMCA, which reached No 2 in the US in 1978 as well as topping charts in the UK and around the world. The ultimate party stomper and evergreen dancefloor favourite, the song is frequently heard at sports events, weddings and nightclubs, though in 2024 Willis raised eyebrows when he threatened to sue any media organs that characterised the song, which he co-wrote, as a gay anthem. He explained: “When I say [in the song], ‘hang out with all the boys’, that is simply 1970s Black slang for Black guys hanging out together for sports, gambling or whatever. There’s nothing gay about that.” The Village People’s other big hits included Macho Man (which reached No 25 in the US, also 1978), In the Navy (No 3 in the US, 2 in the UK) and Go West (15 in Britain, but only 45 in the States, both 1979), all co-written by Willis. The US Navy considered using In the Navy as a recruitment booster, replacing its venerable theme tune Anchors Aweigh. They even supplied a frigate and half a dozen Phantom jets to feature in a promotional video, but backed away from the project on belatedly learning that Village People had become iconic figures in gay culture. The group also scored successes on the album charts, with Cruisin’ and Go West reaching the US Top 10 in 1978 and 1979, but as the 80s dawned, their allure began to fade. Willis left during pre-production of the 1980 fi…