‘I Kissed A Girl’ hitmaker Jill Sobule dies in house fire, aged 66

Jill Sobule, hitmaker of ’90s anthems like ‘I Kissed A Girl’ and ‘Supermodel’, has died in a house fire.

Sobule was aged 66. Her death was confirmed by her manager in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, who said she was staying with some friends in a Minneapolis suburb. The fire broke out early Thursday (May 01) morning. A cause for the fire has yet to be shared.

Besides Sobule’s death, the fire has also caused her friends to lose their house, and their dogs.

Sobule’s manager John Porter said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter: “Jill Sobule was a force of nature and human rights advocate whose music is woven into our culture. I was having so much fun working with her. I lost a client and a friend today. I hope her music, memory and legacy continue to live on and inspire others.”

Jill Sobule was perhaps best known for her 1995 hit ‘I Kissed A Girl’. The track is widely regarded as the first song with an openly gay-theme to break into the Billboard top 20 charts. She is also celebrated for her Clueless soundtrack contribution, ‘Supermodel’.

Over the course of her 30-year career, Sobule released 12 albums, which covered a myriad of social issues, including anorexia, reproductive rights and intolerance. In 2022, she co-wrote and performed in the autobiographical musical Fuck 7th Grade, which has had four runs in three years.

The original cast recording of Fuck 7th Grade is set to be released on June 6, along with a 30th anniversary vinyl reissue of her self-titled 1995 album, which includes ‘I Kissed A Girl’ and Supermodel.

In 2008, Sobule cemented herself as a pioneer of the crowdfunding movement, becoming one of the first artists to record and release an album through fan contributions. Among the incentives she offered fans were free downloads of the album weeks ahead of its release, executive producer credits, being name-dropped in a song, singing on the record and earning a free, private concert.

Sobule was due to perform in her hometown of Denver tonight (May 2), to stage her Jill Sobule Presents: Songs from Fuck 7th Grade & More show. Instead, an informal gathering will be hosted by her friend and 105.5FM host Ron Bostwick.

A formal memorial is being planned for the summer, per her manager.

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