90s singer Jill Sobule dies in ‘house fire’
Jill Sobule, who we know for the groundbreaking single, ‘I Kissed a Girl‘ tragically died in a house fire this Thursday.
According to CBS News, Woodbury Patrol Commander Tom Ehrenberg were called at about 5:30 AM to residence off Pinehurst Road. When they arrived, the home was already engulfed in flames. Tom said,
“One of the residents made it out, and said there is one more person inside.”
After that, firefighters eventually found the body of a woman in her 60s, who was later identified as Jill Sobule.
She is now survived by James (brother) and Mary Ellen Sobule (sister-in-law), and her nephews, Ian Matthew and Robert.
Tributes To The Singer
John Porter, Jill’s manager confirmed her death. Talking with the Hollywood Reporter, he said,
“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. I hope her music, memory, and legacy continue to live on and inspire others.”
Ken Hertz, her attorney, also tributed to her death. He said,
“Jill wasn’t just a client. She was family to us. She showed up for every birth, every birthday, and every holiday. She performed at our daughter’s wedding, and I was her ‘tech’ when she performed by Zoom from our living room (while living with us) during the pandemic.”
Jill Had Shows In Colorado
According to her website, Jill had list of performances. She had live event in Denver at Swallow Hill Music. But, she lost her life in an unexpected event on May 1, 2025.
She was also scheduled to TACAW – The Arts Campus at Willits Basalt on May 3, Historical Armory Fort Collins on May 4, and so on.
Her Feud With Katy Perry
Sobule, born 1959, is known for diverse music, and dozens of albums. The very first one to get hit was her Todd Rungren-produced album in 1990, Things Here Are Different.
But in 1995, she gave hit song, ‘I Kissed a Girl,’ widely known as the first openly LGBTQ+ themed song to reach the Billboard top 20 singles chart.
The song drew attention again, when Katy Perry released her single with the same title. When asked about it, Jill at that time claimed that she didn’t ‘feel precious about the title.’ Later, Sobule lashed out at Perry in a 2009 interview with The Rumpus. She did so, as Katy claimed that title had come up with ‘in a dream.’
Talking with WNYC, Jill said,
“In truth, she wrote it with a team of professional writers and was signed by the very same guy that signed me in 1995. I have not mentioned that in interviews as I don’t want to sound bitter or petty — cause, that’s not me.”
She also said,
“F*** you Katy Perry, you f***ing stupid, maybe ‘not good for the gays,’ title thieving, haven’t heard much else, so not quite sure if you’re talented, f***ing little slut.”
Now, she is no more; let her soul rest in peace.