Jill Sobule, the folk-pop singer and activist best known for the 1995 hit “I Kissed a Girl,” died early Thursday, May 1 in a house fire, according to a statement. She was 66.
Her hit single came years before the 2008 similarly named Katy Perry hit, and some fans thought Perry’s song was heavily inspired by Sobule’s tune, which was a top 20 hit on Billboard’s Modern Rock Tracks chart.
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She also had a hit with the song “Supermodel,” which was featured on the soundtrack to Clueless.
“Jill Sobule was a force of nature and human rights advocate whose music is woven into our culture…I lost a client and a friend today,” the singer’s manager, John Porter, said in a statement. “I hope her music, memory and legacy continue to live on and inspire others.”
Her most recent project was F*ck 7th Grade, which was a New York Times critic’s pick and had four runs from 2022-2024. An original cast album from the show is set for a June 6 release, along with a red vinyl reissue of her breakthrough self-titled album, featuring “I Kissed a Girl” and “Supermodel.”
She is survived by her brother and sister-in-law, James and Mary Ellen Sobule, and her beloved nephews, Ian Matthew and Robert and Robert’s wife Irina. She is also survived by numerous beloved cousins and countless friends.
