Jill Sobule, the trailblazing singer-songwriter known for her 1995 hit I Kissed a Girl, has died in a house fire in Minneapolis. She was 66.
The American artist died early Thursday morning, her representatives confirmed.
According to local reports, firefighters responded to a call at about 5:30am at a house in Woodbury, Minnesota, which was fully engulfed in flames upon arrival.
Her booking agent Craig Grossman said after her death: "No one made me laugh more. Her spirit and energy shall be greatly missed within the music community and beyond."
Ken Hertz, Sobule's long-time attorney, remembered her fondly: "Jill wasn't just a client. She was family to us. She showed up for every birth, every birthday, and every holiday."
Sobule's three-decade career established her as a pioneering voice in music, with songs that tackled complex topics including LGBTQ+ issues, anorexia, and reproductive rights.
Jill Sobule has died in a house fire
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The Denver-born musician released 12 albums throughout her career, beginning with her 1990 debut Things Here Are Different.
Sobule's self-titled second album in 1995 brought her mainstream success with two iconic singles.
I Kissed a Girl is widely considered the first openly gay-themed song to crack the Billboard Top 20, despite being banned on several southern radio stations.
Her hit Supermodel featured prominently in the seminal teen film Clueless that same year, further cementing her place in 90s pop culture.
Oh, boy. Our dear friend @jillsobule has died. I'm really to numb to post much of anything. We loved her. She loved us. She was wonderful, brilliant, hilarious. We miss her, so much. pic.twitter.com/VgnBFECuWY
— Lloyd Cole (@Lloyd_Cole) May 2, 2025
Unlike Katy Perry's later song of the same name, Sobule's I Kissed a Girl was less ambivalent about the experience, reflecting her identity as bisexual.
The track plays during a memorable makeover scene in Clueless featuring Brittany Murphy's character Tai.
More recently, Sobule created the autobiographical musical F*ck 7th Grade, which enjoyed four theatrical runs in three years.
The production was nominated for a Drama Desk award and was named a New York Times Critic's Pick. The musical, which premiered at the Wild Project in New York in 2022, featured songs and stories about Sobule's life.
Sobule performed with numerous artists including Neil Young, Billy Bragg and Cyndi Lauper.
Sobule's death comes just weeks before the planned June 6 release of the original cast recording of F**k 7th Grade.
The release will coincide with a special 30th anniversary reissue of her self-titled album, which features both I Kissed a Girl and Supermodel.
Jill Sobule's music was ground-breaking
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Sobule had been actively touring until recently, performing with The Fixx as recently as April 25 at a venue in Illinois.
Sobule was scheduled to perform at Swallow Hill Music's Tuft Theater in Denver on Friday night, presenting songs from her musical.
Instead, an informal gathering will be held at the venue, hosted by her friend Ron Bostwick from 105.5 The Colorado Sound.
Attendees are encouraged to "share a story or song" in her memory. A formal memorial celebrating her life and legacy is planned for later this summer.
Jill Sobule was 66 at the time of her death
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Sobule is survived by her brother and sister-in-law, James and Mary Ellen Sobule, her nephews Ian, Matthew and Robert, Robert's wife Irina, and numerous cousins and friends.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.