'I Kissed a Girl' singer Jill Sobule dies in house fire at 66 just a day before performance in hometown

WOODBURY, MINNESOTA: Jill Sobule, the pioneering singer-songwriter best known for her groundbreaking hit 'I Kissed a Girl', tragically died in a house fire in Woodbury, Minnesota, on Thursday, May 1. 

The 66-year-old died just one day before she was set to perform in her hometown of Denver.

Investigation ongoing into house fire that claimed Jill Sobule's life

According to authorities, the fire broke out early on Thursday morning in the 9000 block of Pinehurst Road.

First responders arrived around 5.30 am to find the home fully engulfed in flames.

The homeowner informed them that someone might still be inside. After entering the property, responders discovered a woman in her 60s who was later identified as Sobule.

Authorities are currently investigating the cause of the fire. No additional information has been released.

Sobule’s longtime manager, John Porter, confirmed her death in a statement to the Minnesota Star Tribune.

“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,” Porter shared, as per Variety. “I lost a client and a friend today. I hope her music, memory and legacy continue to live on and inspire others.”

Ken Hertz, her longtime attorney, said, “Jill wasn’t just a client. She was family to us. 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.”
 


Jill Sobule was working on podcast before her tragic death

John Porter revealed that Jill Sobule had been working on a podcast and preparing for a performance at the Parkway Theater in Minneapolis.

According to her website, she was also scheduled to perform in Denver on May 2, followed by tour stops in Colorado, Massachusetts, Michigan, Ohio, and Illinois.

Sobule first rose to prominence in 1990 with her debut album, 'Things Here Are Different'. But it was her 1995 hit, 'I Kissed a Girl', that etched her name into pop music history.

The song, one of the first mainstream tracks to openly address same-sex attraction, made waves long before LGBTQ+ themes were widely accepted in popular music.

She further cemented her cultural relevance with the infectious anthem 'Supermodel,' featured on the iconic Clueless soundtrack the same year.

In recent years, Sobule had turned to musical theater, developing an autobiographical stage show titled 'F**k 7th Grade, which was nominated for a Drama Desk Award in 2023.

Known for her candid, witty lyrics and socially conscious storytelling, she carved a niche that blended humor, honesty, and heart.

Her impact reverberated again in 2008, when Katy Perry released a different song titled 'I Kissed a Girl'.

The coincidence reignited interest in Sobule’s original trailblazing version, introducing her to a new generation of listeners.

Sobule is survived by her brother and sister-in-law, James and Mary Ellen Sobule, and her nephews, Ian Matthew and Robert and Robert’s wife Irina.