There is no shortage of controversy surrounding the modern-day version of the disco group Village People, which is a shell of its former self but will nonetheless be among several performers at President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20.
Village People emerged as a hit disco group in the 1970s — and became popular within the LGBTQ community — but the group has faced renewed attention thanks in part to Trump’s tendency to play some of the group’s hit songs, including “YMCA” and “Macho Man,” at his rallies.
Today’s Village People, which is mostly made up of individuals who were not originally part of the group, has had somewhat of a tumultuous relationship with Trump — at least until now.
After US Park Police sprayed protesters with tear gas before then-President Trump paid a visit to St. John’s Episcopal Church in 2020, Victor Willis, the lone remaining original member of the Village People, asked the president to stop using “any of my music at your rallies, especially ‘YMCA’ and ‘Macho Man.’”
“Sorry, but I can no longer look the other way,” Willis, who is not part of the LGBTQ community, wrote in a Facebook post in June of 2020. The Village People also posted on Facebook earlier that year, saying that “we certainly don’t endorse” Trump’s use of the band’s music, “as we’d prefer our music be kept out of politics.”
Then, in 2023, Willis’ wife sent a cease-and-desist letter to Trump after a group of people allegedly performed at Mar-a-Lago.
“Though my husband has tolerated your client’s use of his Village People music, we cannot allow such use by him to cause public confusion as to endorsement,” the letter noted.
Now, however, it appears Willis’ group is willing to look the other way after a 2024 presidential campaign season during which Trump repeatedly played the song “YMCA.”
“YMCA has benefited greatly from use by the President Elect,” Willis wrote in a Dec. 2 Facebook post. “For example, YMCA was stuck at #2 on the Billboard chart prior to the President Elect’s use. However, the song finally made it to #1 on a Billboard chart after over 45 years (and held on to #1 for two weeks) due to the President Elect’s use. The financial benefits have been great… YMCA is estimated to gross several million dollars since the President Elect’s continued use of the song. Therefore, I’m glad I allowed the President Elect’s continued use of Y.M.C.A. And I thank him for choosing to use my song.”
Willis has repeatedly returned to Facebook to issue new statements or clarify previous ones. In multiple posts, he has pushed back against the notion that YMCA is a “gay anthem,” which also became a topic of discussion since Trump uses the song despite maintaining anti-LGBTQ
“As I’ve said numerous times in the past, that is a false assumption based on the fact that my writing partner was gay, and some (not all) of Village People were gay, and that the first Village People album was totally about gay life,” Willis wrote on Facebook Dec. 2. “This assumption is also based on the fact that the YMCA was apparently being used as some sort of gay hangout and since one of the writers was gay and some of the Village People are gay, the song must be a message to gay people. To that I say once again, get your minds out of the gutter. It is not.”
Two gay former members of the group, Randy Jones and Felipe Rose, did not respond to Gay City News’ requests for comment on Jan. 17. It appears at least some of the members left the group due to strained relations.
In 2017, Willis returned “and revamped the group,” according to Village People’s website. Rose, in turn, decided to leave Village People that year “after a long legal dispute over the name, brand and the hostile takeover of the group that was so dear to his life,” Rose said on his website.
In an interview with The Daily Mail, Rose said, “What makes you think I’m going to be f**king there [at the inauguration]? I have nothing to do with the group. I was in the group for 38 years and then Victor Willis came roaring back with his wife and sued the s**t out of everyone.”
Other performers scheduled to participate in inauguration festivities — including at the swearing-in ceremony and a “Make American Great Again Victory Rally” — include Carrie Underwood, Lee. Greenewood, Kid Rock, Jason Aldean, and Rascall Flatts. The rapper Nelly is slated to perform at Trump’s inaugural liberty ball, CBS news reporter Taurean Small said on X Jan. 17.
Trump announced on Jan. 17 that the inauguration is going to be held inside due to the cold weather in Washington. It is not clear whether the change in plans will impact any planned performances.
