Jill Sobule, the singer-songwriter who gave us the heartfelt and funny hit “I Kissed a Girl,” has died. She passed away in a tragic house fire on Thursday in Woodbury, Minnesota. She was 66 years old.

Her publicist, David Elkin, confirmed the sad news through an email. The cause of the fire hasn’t been made clear yet. Fans and friends everywhere are mourning the sudden loss.

Who Was Jill Sobule?

Jill wasn’t just a singer. She was a storyteller. A fighter. A voice for people who often go unheard. Her songs were brave. She sang about tough topics—anorexia, the death penalty, even reproduction. And yes, LGBTQ+ rights too.

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Her manager, John Porter, said in a statement, “Jill Sobule was a force of nature and human rights advocate whose music is woven into our culture.” That says it all. She was more than her music—she was movement.

What Made “I Kissed a Girl” So Important?

Long before Katy Perry made it a pop anthem, Jill’s “I Kissed a Girl” turned heads in the mid-90s. Released in 1995, the song was bold. Funny. Sweet. Honest. It was a coming-out anthem when those were hard to find on the radio.

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Some southern stations even banned it. But that didn’t stop it from climbing into the Billboard Top 20. Jill was ahead of her time. She made space for queer voices long before mainstream pop made room.

What Were Jill’s Other Major Works?

Jill released 12 albums over 30+ years. Her first was Things Here Are Different in 1990. She became more popular after two big singles in 1995: Supermodel (used in the movie Clueless) and I Kissed a Girl.

But Jill wasn’t about chasing hits. She wanted to make music that said something real. That meant something. And she did.

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She even created a musical about her own life. It premiered off-Broadway at the Wild Project in New York in 2022. It was full of songs and personal stories. Jill loved to mix art with truth.

Did She Stay in the Music Industry?

Yes—but on her own terms.

Jill had a rough time with labels. Two major record companies dropped her. Two indie labels went out of business. But she didn’t give up.

In 2008, she tried something different. She raised money from fans—tens of thousands of dollars. That’s how she funded her next album.

She said back then, “You’d wait for the big record company to give you money… and they tell you what to do. This is so great. I want to do everything like this.”

She believed in doing things her way. And fans believed in her.

Was Jill Still Performing?

Absolutely. In fact, she had a show scheduled for Friday night in Denver. That show is now canceled. But her friend Ron Bostwick from 105.5 The Colorado Sound is hosting an informal gathering at the same venue instead. Fans will come to share stories and sing her songs.

A more formal memorial service will happen this summer.

How Did People React to Her Death?

Craig Grossman, her booking agent, said, “No one made me laugh more. Her spirit and energy shall be greatly missed within the music community and beyond.”

John Porter, her manager, added that he not only lost a client—but also a friend.

The music world lost someone special. Jill had a way of making people feel seen.

What Was Jill Like as a Person?

She was born on January 16, 1959, in Denver, Colorado. She said she was a quiet kid—more of an observer than a talker. But once she found music, she came alive.

She played dozens of live shows each year. Often without a setlist. She liked to wing it. Every concert was different. Personal.

She once said performing felt vulnerable. But that’s what made it magical.

Jill shared stages with legends like Neil Young, Billy Bragg, and Cyndi Lauper. She even inducted Neil Diamond into the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame.

And in 2019, she appeared as herself singing a song on The Simpsons. Pretty cool, right?

Did Jill Still Have Dreams?

Yes. Even in her 60s, she was dreaming big.

In a 2023 interview with The Associated Press, she said, “There’s so much more to do and I haven’t done my best yet.”

She felt like a rookie. Still hungry. Still hopeful.

Who Survives Jill Sobule?

Jill is survived by her brother and sister-in-law, James and Mary Ellen Sobule. She also leaves behind nephews and cousins.

But in a way, she’s survived by all of us—her fans, her friends, her community. Because her music? That’s forever.

Final Thoughts

Jill Sobule wasn’t just another singer-songwriter. She was a rebel with a guitar. A truth-teller in tune. She wasn’t afraid to laugh, cry, or get real in a song.

Now that she’s gone, her voice is more important than ever. Let’s remember her for the stories she told, the boundaries she pushed, and the love she left behind.

Rest easy, Jill. We’ll keep singing.