Jill Sobule, the influential singer-songwriter best known for her hits “I Kissed a Girl” and “Supermodel,” has died at 66. She perished in a house fire this past January in Woodbury, Minnesota. Her manager, John Porter, confirmed the news in a statement to the Minnesota Star Tribune, revealing that her body was discovered on Thursday. We’re really excited to have the incredible Jill Sobule getting ready to join us on stage in Denver tomorrow! She’ll be featuring songs from her autobiographical stage musical, F*ck 7th Grade, that received a 2023 Drama Desk nomination.
Her music career kicked off in 1990 with her first album, “Things Here Are Different,” which was produced by Todd Rundgren. Over the course of her career, she made 12 albums. Each one illustrative of her skill to wrong-foot the listener and suddenly tie deeply personal and socially aware sentiments all into one track. Her eponymous 1995 debut album produced two of her biggest hits— “I Kissed a Girl” and “Supermodel.”
Completely by chance, “Supermodel” found new popularity as part of the soundtrack for the seminal coming-of-age film “Clueless,” and “I Kissed a Girl” would go on to be known as one of the first openly LGBTQ-themed songs to break into the Billboard top 20 singles chart. Well, in 2008, pop star Katy Perry jump started the interest by releasing her own single based on that same track with that same name. Her version quickly shot up the top 20 charts.
Alongside her artistic achievements, Sobule was lauded as a human rights activist. John Porter reflected on her impact, stating, “Jill Sobule was a force of nature and human rights advocate whose music is woven into our culture. I lost a client and a friend today. I hope her music, memory and legacy continue to live on and inspire others.”
Fans and fellow artists alike are grief-stricken at the loss of Sobule. She was an incredible artist who deeply impacted so many — not only through her music but her activism as well. Her passion for bridging divides and addressing weighty social issues just struck a chord with her audience. This combination made her an unforgettable artist and an equally effective advocate for LGBTQ equality.