Victor Willis, a founding member of the Village People, recently addressed the media’s portrayal of the band’s hit song “Y.M.C.A.” as a gay anthem. During an appearance on TMZ Live, Willis explained that he never intended for the song to have a queer double entendre. While he acknowledged the LGBTQ+ community’s embrace of the track, he expressed frustration with the media’s long-standing depiction of the song as specifically a gay anthem. According to Willis, this narrative has hurt the song’s broader appeal, pointing out its popularity at weddings, bar mitzvahs, and sporting events, and asserting that it resonates equally with heterosexual audiences.
Willis also commented on the song’s use by President-elect Donald Trump during his campaign, stating that he had no issue with Trump playing it since the president seemed to genuinely enjoy the track, and that it had helped bring more attention to the song. He refrained from criticizing Trump’s dancing, simply noting that Trump “does his thing.”
