The devastating house fire took the life of Jill Sobule, a revered musician and songwriter best known for the LGBTQ+ smash tune “I Kissed a Girl.”
The news of her passing was revealed by her publicist in Woodbury, Minnesota. The fire’s origin is still unknown.
John Porter, the 66-year-old’s manager, referred to her as “a force of nature and human rights advocate” whose “music is woven into our culture.”
“I was enjoying myself tremendously while collaborating with her,” he stated in a statement. A buddy and a client passed away today.
Her music, memories, and legacy should serve as an inspiration to many. Carrie Coon, star of White Lotus, wrote: “Jill Sobule was so special” in an online post. Tragic announcement.
In her X post, singer-songwriter Tracy Chapman expressed her “deep sadness” about the death of Jill Sobule and included a photo of the two of them from 2001. Listening to her music is the best way to pay tribute to the amazing singer-songwriter she was.
Friday night’s Denver performance by Sobule will now be a memorial to her life rather than a performance. A more solemn memorial service is scheduled for later in the summer.
The singer-songwriter had a prolific career spanning three decades, during which she recorded twelve albums that dealt with heavy topics like abortion, bulimia nervosa, reproductive rights, and LGBTQ+ activism. Things Here Are Different” was her debut album, which came out in 1990.
“Supermodel,” which she sang five years later, was featured in the film Clueless. She also recorded “I Kissed a Girl” that year, and it went on to enter the US Billboard Top 20 despite being banned by several southern radio stations.
I Kissed A Girl, Katy Perry’s 2008 global smash that was not a cover but shared the title, rekindled interest in the original song. Another stage production that Sobule was a part of was an off-Broadway musical that was autobiographical.
In 2008, following the defection of two major record firms and the bankruptcy of two independent labels, she took to crowdfunding to earn tens of thousands of dollars from her fans in order to produce a new album. On January 16, 1959, Sobule entered this world in Denver, Colorado.
She mentioned that she would “wing” her many live performances, never drafting a set list, and would later perform with celebrities like Neil Young, Cyndi Lauper, and Billy Bragg. In 2019, she had a guest appearance on an episode of The Simpsons.
“In a good way, I feel like I’m still a rookie,” she remarked in an interview with The Associated Press in 2023. So much remains, yet I still haven’t given it my all.
James and Mary Ellen Sobule, her brother and sister-in-law, and her cousins and nephews will carry on her legacy.