Victor Willis, the lead singer and co-founder of the disco group Village People, passed away on June 30, 2026, at the age of 74.

Disco 組合 Village People 的主唱兼共同創辦人 Victor Willis 於 2026 年 6 月 30 日逝世，享壽 74 歲。

Willis began his career in Texas, where he first learned to sing in a Baptist church before moving to Broadway. In 1977, he worked with Jacques Morali and Henri Belolo to create the Village People. The group used strong masculine images to attract the LGBTQ community, and Willis played the roles of the police officer and naval officer. Furthermore, he co-wrote several world-famous hits, such as 'YMCA,' 'Macho Man,' and 'In the Navy.'

Willis 在德州開始了他的事業，在搬到百老匯之前，他在一家浸信會教堂學習唱歌。1977 年，他與 Jacques Morali 和 Henri Belolo 共同創立了 Village People。該組合利用強烈的男性形象來吸引 LGBTQ 社群，Willis 則飾演警察與海軍軍官。此外，他還共同創作了數首世界知名的金曲，例如 "YMCA"、"Macho Man" 及 "In the Navy"。

After leaving the group in 1980, Willis faced a difficult period involving drug abuse and legal problems. He was arrested for possessing cocaine and firearms, and although he was accused of rape in 1993, he was found not guilty. Consequently, he entered a court-ordered rehabilitation program in 2006, which helped him recover. During this time, his wife, Karen Huff-Willis, provided essential support by helping him recover his solo recordings and fight for his legal rights. As a result, a federal court ruled in 2012 that Willis owned 50% of thirteen of the group's songs.

在 1980 年離開組合後，Willis 面對了一段艱難時期，涉及藥物濫用與法律問題。他因持有古柯鹼與槍支而被捕，雖然他在 1993 年被指控強姦，但最終被判無罪。因此，他在 2006 年進入法院命令的復健計畫，這幫助他恢復健康。在此期間，他的妻子 Karen Huff-Willis 提供了關鍵支持，協助他找回個人錄音作品並爭取法律權益。結果，聯邦法院於 2012 年裁定 Willis 擁有該組合 13 首歌曲中 50% 的權益。

Regarding politics, Willis had a complicated relationship with President Donald Trump. Although he initially disagreed with Trump's views and asked that 'YMCA' not be played at political rallies in 2020, he later admitted that the exposure brought financial benefits. Because of this change, the group performed at the president's second inauguration in January 2025. Additionally, Willis argued that 'YMCA' was not originally written as a gay anthem, asserting that it was based on his own life experiences, though he remained neutral about the LGBTQ community's love for the song.

關於政治，Willis 與總統川普的關係較為複雜。雖然他最初不同意川普的觀點，並在 2020 年要求政治集會不要播放 "YMCA"，但隨後他承認這種曝光帶來了經濟利益。由於這一轉變，該組合在 2025 年 1 月的總統第二次就職典禮上演出。此外，Willis 主張 "YMCA" 最初並非作為同志頌歌而寫，堅稱其基於自身的人生經驗，儘管他對 LGBTQ 社群對這首歌的喜愛保持中立態度。

Victor Willis died after a short but severe illness, leaving behind a legacy of disco music, personal recovery, and complex political views.

Victor Willis 在短時間內病重逝世，留下了 Disco 音樂的遺產、個人康復的經歷，以及複雜的政治觀點。