Jill Sobule, a pioneering American songwriter and beloved musician, has died in a house fire in Minneapolis at the age of 66, as confirmed by her publicist. Best known for her iconic songs like "I Kissed a Girl," which is often recognized as one of the first openly gay tracks to make it into the Billboard Top 20, Sobule's music captured both humor and deeper social issues.
Her satirical hit "Supermodel" gained fame after being featured in the 1995 film "Clueless." Sobule was set to perform songs from her autobiographical musical in her hometown of Denver this Friday. Following her passing, a free gathering is planned to celebrate her life and legacy.
Tributes are already flooding social media, with English musician Lloyd Cole expressing his sorrow, noting, "We loved her. She loved us." Born in 1959, Sobule's music addressed critical topics such as LGBTQ+ rights, mental health, and social justice. Her 1995 self-titled album made a lasting impact, and she later embraced crowdfunding to support her projects, as well as composing for popular TV shows, including Nickelodeon's "Unfabulous."
Her manager, John Porter, described Sobule as a "force of nature," and Canadian music correspondent Eric Alper highlighted her trailblazing role in shaping music culture. The cause of the fire is currently being investigated by local authorities in Woodbury, according to the Star Tribune.
