The iconic disco group Village People set aside their political stance to take part in events celebrating the upcoming inauguration of President Donald Trump.

Their popular tracks “YMCA” and “Macho Man” were frequently featured at Trump’s campaign rallies. On Sunday, they performed at two events, one of which was a rally where the President-elect even joined them on stage.

On Saturday, the group shared on their official Facebook page about their inaugural performances, stating they would “perform for both Democrats and Republicans.”

They emphasized that Village People is not a political entity. “We never have been and never will be, regardless of how hard some may try to make us into one. We perform without consideration of politics. Village People will not engage with the political issues of any particular group,” they clarified in the post.

The Sunday performance could be repeated at the official Liberty Ball, one of three inaugural balls to occur at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center on Monday.

Other artists scheduled to perform at the event include rapper Nelly, a three-time Grammy winner, and country artist Jason Aldean.

Additionally, Snoop Dogg also took the stage on Friday at the Inaugural Crypto Ball in Washington, D.C., where cryptocurrency leaders celebrated the upcoming inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump.

Village People’s performance at Trump’s inauguration drew mixed reactions from fans

However, the Village People’s choice to perform at Trump’s events did not sit well with all of their fans, especially considering that “Y.M.C.A.” has been embraced by the LGBTQ+ community as an anthem over the years.

“On my Facebook page, so many people are commenting, ‘We’re not following your music anymore,’ and expressing various frustrations,” Victor Willis, a founding member of the group who co-wrote “Y.M.C.A.,” shared in an NPR interview published on Monday.

When asked about their decision to perform at Trump’s inaugural events, Willis responded, “We aim to encourage unity among people, regardless of their voting preferences.” He leads the group while dressed as a policeman and returned to Village People in 2017 after leaving in 1979. “I’m a Democrat, and while we lost this time, it’s important to come together and support the president-elect,” he mentioned during the NPR interview.

Previously, Willis and the Village People were among a group of artists, including the Rolling Stones and Rihanna, who expressed disapproval of Trump’s use of their songs at events.

After a police dispersal of a crowd in Lafayette Square for a photo-op by then-President Trump at St. John’s Episcopal Church in June 2020, Willis publicly requested that Trump refrain from using their music, as reported by The Washington Post. “I’m sorry, but I can no longer turn a blind eye,” he wrote on Facebook at that time.

In May 2023, the band’s manager, Karen Willis (Victor’s wife), sent a cease-and-desist letter to Trump’s attorney to stop using their songs after a video surfaced of Trump dancing to “Macho Man,” as reported by Rolling Stone.

Yet, Willis remarked that Trump’s use of their music has “provided a lot of joy to the American public with his rendition of ‘Y.M.C.A.,'” on Facebook last week. “And you think Village People should ignore that and not perform at his inauguration? Absolutely not! It is the right decision for us to perform and keep our political opinions separate. So please refrain from forcing your political viewpoints onto Village People.”

Regarding Trump’s dancing, Willis expressed enthusiasm about sharing the stage with him. “We have our own version of ‘Y.M.C.A.’ If he stands beside me, I might just do the choreography along with his moves,” he said.

Stay updated with Mike Snider on Threads, Bluesky, and X: mikegsnider & @mikegsnider.bsky.social & @mikesnider.