EXCLUSIVE: Trump Favorite the Village People 'Planning Adele-Style Las Vegas Residency' to Cash in on Buzz They Got After Performing at The Don's Inauguration
Iconic 1970s band Village People are in advanced talks for a stint in Las Vegas, according to industry insiders.
Feb. 10 2025, Published 11:33 a.m. ET
Iconic 1970s band Village People are set for their biggest payday in the shape of a money-spinning Las Vegas residency.
RadarOnline.com can reveal the band is in advanced talks with promoters in Sin City to bring their high-octane show to the desert resort.
Their renewed popularity is all down to President Donald Trump who has been playing hits penned by lead singer Victor Willis for years, culminating in the band performing at his inauguration last month.
Even though the musicians are unlikely to command the $125million paid to Brit singer Adele for her stint in Vegas, the check will run into "several million" dollars.
Village People are set for a multimillion-dollar Las Vegas residency, sources tell us.
A showbiz fixer told us: "America is in love with Trump and Trump loves Village People so they'd be a massive draw for folks in Las Vegas.
"We are not talking Adele or Celine Dion kind of money but certainly around $10million for a residency. They are a great fun act."
The Village People have already raked in big money from Trump using their hits at his MAGA rallies.
In 2020, the Republican started using the songs Macho Man and Y.M.C.A. at rallies, and while many fans, who felt the band's position as gay icons was at odds with Trump's view of the world, expected the Village People to block him from using the songs, it was announced the band would allow it.
Donald Trump's rallies turned 'Y.M.C.A.' into a chart-topping hit – 45 years after its original release.
When Trump started using the songs again in the 2024 election, the band's founding member Victor Willis, 73, defended the president's choice of songs.
He said: "Y.M.C.A. has benefited greatly from use by the President Elect. For example, Y.M.C.A. was stuck at No2 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 No1 for two weeks) due to the President Elect’s use.
Victor Willis has credited Trump's song choices for keeping the Village People rolling in cash.
"The financial benefits have been great as well as Y.M.C.A. 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."
Trump's love of the band is pure nostalgia, says Dr A Jamie Saris, an Associate Professor in the Department of Anthropology at Maynooth University.
Village People is known for their camp signature costumes.
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"I don't think you can separate Trump and his base from nostalgia," Dr Saris said, adding: "They want a do-over. That is, they want to relive certain moments that they have in their brains as when America was great; they just don't want to deal with the contradictions.
"Disco was problematic for a lot of kids at the time, but now the same people who used to be uncomfortable with it are saying, 'The 1970s were great! My back didn't hurt!'"
Dr Saris added the nostalgia inherent in the MAGA movement tips over into camp, saying: "You see these office workers at Trump's rallies dressed up as war veterans and Navy Seals and blue-collar workers."
