Jill Sobule, the groundbreaking singer-songwriter best known for her 1995 song "I Kissed a Girl," died at age 66 in a Minneapolis house fire early Thursday morning, her rep confirmed.
Police in the suburb of Woodbury are investigating the cause of the fire at the house where Sobule was found, BBC reported.
"I Kissed a Girl" is considered by many to be the first openly gay-themed song to hit the Billboard Top 20. Her eclectic career spans over thirty years and twelve albums, marked by standout tracks like "Supermodel" from "Clueless" and the original version of "I Kissed a Girl," Variety reported.
More recently, she earned acclaim for her autobiographical musical "[Expletive] 7th Grade," which received a Drama Desk nomination and was staged four times in three years. On June, the show's original cast recording will be released, coinciding with a 30th anniversary reissue of her self-titled album featuring her most iconic songs.
Originally set to perform Saturday night in her hometown of Denver at Swallow Hill Music's Tuft Theater with a show titled "Jill Sobule Presents: Songs From Fck 7th Grade & More," the event will now be replaced by an informal gathering. The tribute will be hosted by her friend Ron Bostwick of 105.5 FM.
"Jill Sobule was a force of nature and human rights advocate whose music is woven into our culture," her manager, John Porter, said. "I was having so much fun working with her. I lost a client and a friend today. I hope her music, memory, & legacy continue to live on and inspire others."
A Denver native, Sobule launched her music career with the 1990 release of "Things Here Are Different," produced by Todd Rundgren. Though she later recorded a second album with British artist Joe Jackson, it was ultimately shelved. In 1995, she signed with Atlantic Records and found commercial success with her self-titled album.
However, pop radio limited her ability to explore the wide range of bold topics she often wrote about, like capital punishment, anorexia, shoplifting, and the MAGA movement. Choosing more creative freedom, Sobule spent the following years releasing music independently and expanding into theater and television, notably composing the theme song for "Nickelodeon's Unfabulous."
In 2008, Sobule used crowdfunding to fund her album "California Years," raising $75,000 in under two months. She offered rewards like downloads and even a chance to sing on the record. She later used the same approach for "Nostalgia Kills" in 2018.
"Jill wasn't just a client. She was family to us," said Ken Hertz, her longtime attorney. "She showed up for every birth, every birthday, and every holiday. She performed at our daughter's wedding, and I was her 'tech' when she performed by Zoom from our living room (while living with us) during the pandemic."
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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