Culture Jill Sobule, 'I Kissed a Girl' singer, dies in Minnesota house fire - She wrote the first openly gay-themed song ever to crack the Billboard Top 20.


By Jon Haworth
May 2, 2025

Jill Sobule, a singer-songwriter best known for her 1995 single “I Kissed a Girl,” has died in a house fire in Minnesota at the age of 66.

Her death was confirmed by her publicist on Thursday, though it was not immediately made clear how the fire in Woodbury, Minnesota, started, according to the Associated Press.

Sobule was the singer-songwriter of “I Kissed a Girl,” the first openly gay-themed song ever to crack the Billboard Top 20 and wrote over a dozen albums spanning three decades of recording, her publicist said.

“The Denver-born songwriter/guitarist/singer tackled such topics as the death penalty, anorexia nervosa, shoplifting, reproduction, the French Resistance, adolescent malaise, intolerance, and the MAGA movement with her signature wit and soul-bearing authenticity,” the statement announcing her death said. “Jill is considered a pioneer in crowdfunding, constantly explored new models to empower artists in an ever-changing music industry, and was the darling of the ‘digirati’ – Jill has performed at the TED conference more than any other artist.”

jill-sobule-dies_1746174958503_hpMain.webp
FILE - Jill Sobule poses for a portrait on Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2023, in New York.

Her most recent project was her New York Times critic’s pick, Drama Desk-nominated, autobiographical coming-of-age musical “F*ck 7th Grade.”

“Jill Sobule was a force of nature and human rights advocate whose music is woven into our culture. I was having so much fun working with her. I lost a client and a friend today,” said John Porter, Sobule’s manager, following her passing. “I hope her music, memory, and legacy continue to live on and inspire others.”

“I was fortunate enough to get to know Jill beyond a professional relationship. No one made me laugh more. Her spirit and energy shall be greatly missed within the music community and beyond,” said Sobule’s booking agent, Craig Grossman.

Sobule is survived by her brother and sister-in-law, her nephews, and a number of cousins.

There will be a formal memorial celebrating her life and legacy later in the summer though no date has been announced.


In 2008, the song received renewed attention after Katy Perry released a song with the same title. Some music critics unfavorably compared Perry's song to Sobule's due to their titles. In a 2009 interview with The Rumpus, Sobule criticized Perry, stating, "Fuck you Katy Perry, you fucking stupid, maybe 'not good for the gays,' title-thieving, haven't heard much else, so not quite sure if you're talented, fucking little slut." Sobule later claimed that her comments were meant to be facetious. She stated that she "rambled on with a string of over the top dumb-ass profanities, purposely out of character and completely in jest ... I have never really been angry or had ill feelings towards Katy herself. I was actually in a small way happy to not be the 'Kissed a Girl' girl anymore".
Click to expand...

I Kissed a Girl and I Went to Space
vs.
I Kissed a Girl and I Died in a Fire
 
  • Feels
  • Winner
  • Informative
Reactions: Ascended Royal Dragon, Forcey Funtime, Elim Garak and 21 others
Click to expand...
Fuck you Katy Perry, you fucking stupid, maybe 'not good for the gays,' title-thieving, haven't heard much else, so not quite sure if you're talented, fucking little slut."
Click to expand...
Based.
Sobule later claimed that her comments were meant to be facetious. She stated that she "rambled on with a string of over the top dumb-ass profanities, purposely out of character and completely in jest ... I have never really been angry or had ill feelings towards Katy herself. I was actually in a small way happy to not be the 'Kissed a Girl' girl anymore".
Click to expand...
Cucked.
 
  • Like
  • Agree
Reactions: The Lawgiver, Elim Garak, CarlosDanger and 24 others
The Mass Shooter Ron Soye said:
The Denver-born songwriter/guitarist/singer tackled such topics as the death penalty, anorexia nervosa, shoplifting, reproduction, the French Resistance, adolescent malaise, intolerance, and the MAGA movement with her signature wit and soul-bearing authenticity
Click to expand...
Wow, what a tragic loss for all humanity. We didn't even get to hear her thoughts on Elon Musk, which I'm sure would have been as coherent as they were original.

Also, something interesting I saw while googling who the hell this woman is:

1000026192.webp

These are all the same person wearing different wigs. You cannot convince me otherwise.
 
  • Like
  • Winner
  • Thunk-Provoking
Reactions: John McAfee, Alvin and the Shitmunks, niggersrus and 59 others
The Mass Shooter Ron Soye said:
Jill Sobule, a singer-songwriter best known for her 1995 single “I Kissed a Girl,” has died in a house fire in Minnesota at the age of 66.
Click to expand...
Why would Katy Perry do this?

"I kissed a girl and I liked it, I hope Bill Clinton don't mind it".
I think I know why the fire was started...
 
  • Like
  • Thunk-Provoking
Reactions: Elim Garak, World Famous Quasi Payer, cactus and 8 others
The Mass Shooter Ron Soye said:
Jill Sobule, a singer-songwriter best known for her 1995 single “I Kissed a Girl,” has died in a house fire in Minnesota at the age of 66
Click to expand...

1e914948d4988f120144baa36e627dbf.jpg (1464×1867).webpwhat a strange way to die at 66 of age, definitely there wasn't any higher power in this tragedy. "Wer in der Gnade und Freundschaft Gottes stirbt, aber noch nicht vollkommen geläutert ist, ist zwar seines ewigen Heiles sicher, macht aber nach dem Tod eine Läuterung durch, um die Heiligkeit zu erlangen, die notwendig ist, in die Freude des Himmels eingehen zu können."
 
  • Like
  • Thunk-Provoking
  • Autistic
Reactions: Elim Garak, Tripshots, Guy who lurks and 14 others
I remember her from MTV. The song was a bit shocking at the time. Katy Perry covered it and also made it a hit. So it's pretty well known. Jill Sobule also had another big song "Supermodel" from the Clueless soundtrack. The video spoofs Carrie. I enjoyed watching her videos on MTV back when MTV was a thing.

That's a terrible way to go. I'm very fire phobic. You can never be too careful. But sometimes it's something beyond your control.
 
  • Feels
  • Like
  • Informative
Reactions: Elim Garak, Troutsmacked, Tripshots and 14 others
Yeah I vaguely remember her. When Katy Perry got super popular I wondered at the time if she credited or compensated the 90s girl but it looks like she didn't given she called Perry an untalented cunt in Minecraft. Yikes. Kinda crazy you could be a cultural phenomenon one decade and then years later someone could swoop in and basically take your shit and be more popular with it and you'd be all but forgotten huh? Crazy. Well as for the original song itself it was an atypical 90s sounding pop-folk song and I'm not surprised it's forgotten because it was maudlin and cringey as fuck even in 95. I'll give that it's not as annoying as the biggest lesbian theme songs 4non Blondes "What's going on?" and Melissa Etheridge's "Come to my Window" but those were actually played on classic commercial radio for obvious reasons. Also fuck Jill Sobule her music video technically introduced the world to Fabio too. Anyways kinda sucks to die in a house fire as a lonely unloved lesbian with no family to leave but that's gay life for ya. You live by the gay you die by the gay. I kinda feel she low keyed hoped a lot of teen girls would see her music videos in the 90s and she'd groom them to unhappy dykes like herself so C'est La Vie I suppose.
 
  • Agree
  • Like
  • Autistic
Reactions: Ascended Royal Dragon, Elim Garak, behindyourightnow and 8 others
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back