US - Singer Jill Sobule, 66, known for her songs 'I Kissed a Girl' and 'Supermodel', died in a fire in Minnesota on May 1.
Jill Sobule's representative confirmed the sad news to Variety on the evening of May 1 local time. The house fire in Minneapolis, Minnesota, occurred early the same morning. Details of the tragic accident have not been released.
Jill Sobule was scheduled to perform in Denver on May 2 at a private concert at the Tufts Theater. The singer had also planned to perform across the US in the summer and fall. Currently, the concert on Friday night has been converted into a memorial and tribute to Jill Sobule, organized by her friends.
"Jill Sobule was an inspiration and a human rights activist. Her music permeated our culture. I had the pleasure of working with her and lost not only a client but a friend," said the singer's manager, John Porter.
Jill Sobule was born in Denver in 1959 and began her music career in 1990 with her debut album Things Here Are Different. Five years later, she released her self-titled album Jill Sobule, which included the hit song I Kissed a Girl, one of the first LGBTQ+ songs to reach the Billboard Top 20. The album also included the hit song Supermodel, which was featured in the 1995 teen film Clueless.
As a human rights activist, Jill's music often touches on topics such as same-sex love, feminism, anorexia, mental health, petty theft, reproductive issues... She has had a music career spanning more than three decades, making her mark with songs that combine pop, folk and rock, with intelligent, humorous and highly social lyrics. In addition to her solo career, Jill composes music for the stage and collaborates with many other artists. She is considered an influential independent artist in the American music industry.
Jill Sobule once publicly came out as bisexual. The artist has a private life, often using music to share her thoughts. She has never been married and has no children. Jill's current relatives are her brother, sister-in-law, and two nephews.