How do you measure the loss of someone who didn’t just write songs, but rewrote the cultural script?
Jill Sobule, the sharp-witted singer-songwriter behind I Kissed a Girl (yes, that one — the original, trailblazing version from 1995), has died.
She died in a house fire in Minnesota. She was 66.
Her publicist confirmed the heartbreaking news, leaving fans reeling and artists mourning.
Fans Are Devastated On Her Death
“We loved her. She loved us,” wrote fellow musician Lloyd Cole.
Sobule wasn’t just catchy choruses and clever lyrics — though she had plenty of both — she was a fearless storyteller.
From queer identity to the death penalty, no topic was too taboo for her pen.
A Denver native, she was due to perform there this week, showcasing songs from her autobiographical stage musical.
Instead, her hometown will host a tribute — a testament to the legacy she leaves behind.
Manager John Porter called her a “force of nature,” and others echoed the sentiment.
“She changed the soundtrack — and the conversation,” wrote music journalist Eric Alper.
Her 1995 I Kissed a Girl may have shocked radio at the time, but it also cracked barriers.
And like her song Supermodel from Clueless, Jill Sobule made being unapologetically yourself feel powerful — and punk.
Gone, but playing on.
