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Jill Sobule, Trailblazing Singer-Songwriter, Dies at 66 in House Fire

The LGBTQ+ music pioneer and activist, known for 'I Kissed a Girl' and 'Supermodel,' leaves behind a legacy of fearless artistry and social advocacy.

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An impromptu memorial will be held in place of the Jill Sobule concert scheduled for Friday, May 2, at Swallow Hill Music in Denver. (Shervin Lainez, provided by Girlie Action)
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Overview

  • Jill Sobule, 66, died in a house fire in Woodbury, Minnesota, on May 1, 2025, with the cause of the fire still under investigation.
  • A pioneer of LGBTQ+ representation in music, her 1995 hit 'I Kissed a Girl' was the first openly gay-themed song to break into Billboard's Top 20.
  • Sobule's three-decade career included 12 albums addressing social issues like LGBTQ+ rights, anorexia, and the death penalty, as well as groundbreaking crowdfunding efforts.
  • Her original cast recording for the Off-Broadway musical memoir 'F*ck7thGrade' and a 30th-anniversary reissue of her self-titled album are set for release on June 6, 2025.
  • Fans and colleagues are organizing informal gatherings to honor her memory, with a formal memorial planned for the summer.