Jill Sobule, the influential singer-songwriter best known for her 1995 hit “I Kissed a Girl,” has died at age 66 in a house fire on May 1, 2025, at her home in Woodbury, Minnesota. Authorities are currently investigating the cause of the fire.
Sobule’s passing comes just weeks before the release of a 30th anniversary reissue of her breakthrough self-titled album. Known for her fearless songwriting, her music tackled topics like LGBTQ+ rights, anorexia, and the death penalty, earning her praise as one of the most underrated voices of the 1990s.
Her breakout came with “I Kissed a Girl,” which made history as the first openly LGBTQ-themed single to chart on Billboard, and featured a memorable music video starring Fabio. That same year, her satirical song “Supermodel” gained pop culture fame in the movie Clueless.
Over her three-decade career, Sobule released eight studio albums and four EPs, blending witty storytelling with heartfelt emotion. Her manager, John Porter, remembered her as “a force of nature and human rights advocate whose music is woven into our culture.”
Sobule is survived by her brother, sister-in-law, nephews, cousins, and close friends.
