Singer-songwriter Jill Sobule, known for gay-themed anthem 'I Kissed a Girl,' dies in house fire
Jill Sobule, hitmaker of '90s anthems like 'I Kissed A Girl' and Clueless soundtrack contribution 'Supermodel', has died in a house fire. She was 66 years old.
Her death was confirmed by her manager in a statement to
The Hollywood Reporter
, who said she was staying with some friends in a Minneapolis suburb.
The fire broke out early Thursday (1 May) morning. The cause of the fire has yet to be shared.
Sobule's manager John Porter said in a statement: '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.'
Jill Sobule was best known for her 1995 hit 'I Kissed A Girl' - which is widely regarded as the first song with an openly gay-theme to break into the Billboard top 20 charts.
Over the course of her 30-year career, Sobule released 12 albums, which covered various social issues, including LGBTQ+ issues, the death penalty, anorexia and reproductive rights.
She performed with such icons as Neil Young, Billy Bragg and Cyndi Lauper, and also inducted Neil Diamond into the Songwriter's Hall of Fame.
She was also seen as a pioneer of the crowdfunding movement: in 2008, she became one of the first artists to record and release an album through fan contributions.
'The old kind of paradigm, where you've always waited for other people to do things, you'd have your manager and your agent,' she said at the time. 'You'd wait for the big record company to give you money to do things and they tell you what to do. This is so great. I want to do everything like this."
In 2022, she co-wrote and performed in the autobiographical musical Fuck 7th Grade, which has had four runs in three years.
Jill Sobule - New York - 19 March 1997
AP Photo
She is survived by her brother and sister-in-law, James and Mary Ellen Sobule, along with her nephews and cousins.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Euronews
2 days ago
- Euronews
'Weapons': Why no one needs a prequel to the box office hit of 2025
While it was highly anticipated, Zach Cregger's Weapons has become the breakout hit of the summer no one expected. Not only did the American filmmaker's sophomore horror film top the box office during its debut weekend and has raked in a reported $92 million internationally at the time of writing (on a budget of $38 million), it's also become one of the most critically acclaimed films of 2025. For those who haven't yet had the pleasure, Weapons is a mystery horror gem that takes place in the aftermath of the disappearance of 17 children, who all leave their homes one night at precisely 2:17am. They run into the night and are never seen or heard from again. In our (glowing) review for Weapons, we wrote: 'Cregger skilfully employs a Rashomon-style narrative construction to craft a distressing fairytale that starts off as a small-town mystery thriller with shades of Twin Peaks and Denis Villeneuve's Prisoners. And his novelistic approach pays off, as it only furthers quite how much Stephen King must be green with envy that this suburban US nightmare isn't his baby.' We added: 'Weapons has become the tense and deliriously entertaining horror film to beat this year. Considering 2025 has already been good to the genre, with Presence, Sinners, The Ugly Stepsister, 28 Years Later and Bring Her Back – to name but a few highlights – that should tell you plenty.' But because we can't have nice, self-contained things, there's trouble afoot... There are only three certainties in life: death, taxes and Hollywood greed. The slightest whiff of buzz and box office glory and opportunistic studios start getting ideas, seeking to milk creative properties dry. And because Weapons is a hit, a prequel has apparently been tabled, with Cregger reportedly in early talks for a time-reversing follow-up. Per an exclusive report from The Hollywood Reporter, Cregger is in early discussions with Warner Bros. Pictures and New Line Cinema for an origin film set in the Weapons universe – with the prequel focusing on the film's mysterious antagonist. Warning: mild spoilers ahead. The prequel would focus on Amy Madigan's character Gladys – this demented fairytale's witch, who cast a spell on the kiddies and ends up meeting a particularly gruesome end. On a surface level, a prequel could make some artistic sense. Weapons is a non-linear story that explores multiple viewpoints, and the film never gets Gladys' perception. There's no doubt that Madigan would ace it if she were to return to the role, and Cregger has proven that he's not to be underestimated. However, one of the many reasons why Weapons works so well is a lack of backstory for the evil character. We don't need answer dumps or to be clued up on the 'why' behind her nefarious motivations; it's a lot creepier when these elements remain unknown. Prequels not only run the risk of botching continuity, canon and tension, but dish out unnecessary explanations. Recent examples like The Hobbit trilogy, Furiosa and Wonka prove it. Moreover, they are always poison when it comes to the most interesting characters: villains. A villain origin story that reveals motive ruins mythology, quashes audience imagination, and tanks the scare potential of a truly excellent antagonist. Norman Bates is far more scary without a motive. Darth Vader definitely lost his threatening edge when George Lucas decided to go back and unveil his entire backstory. Hannibal Lecter is much less frightening once you've been force fed the origins of his cannibalistic ways. And the nightmares triggered by aunt Gladys will be more underwear soiling if audiences are purposefully kept in the dark about why she's parasitically invading families' spaces and terrorising small towns. 'It's a lot scarier when there's no motive, Sid.' Wise words from Billy Loomis in the first (and best) Scream film. So, Mr. Cregger, if you're reading... First of all, congrats and enjoy your moment – it's merited. Secondly, please don't bend to studio pressure and fight for Weapons to be a standalone. We understand you're already busy with the upcoming Resident Evil film, as well as an original film you're reportedly working on titled Flood. Do those. And if you won't listen to Euronews Culture, please listen to Billy. Murderous tendencies aside, he had a point.
Euronews
2 days ago
- Euronews
The next James Bond? Unknown British actor reportedly screentests
Speculation continues over the new James Bond adventure, which will be directed by Dune director Denis Villeneuve and written by Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight. Now that key filmmaking positions have been announced, all the new era of the 007 saga needs is a fresh secret agent. From Aaron Taylor-Johnson to three reported studio favourites, all bets are (still) off. Or are they? Reports of a relatively unknown actor have surfaced, with The Hollywood Reporter confirming that Scott Rose-Marsh has screen tested for the role of the new 007. The 37-year-old British actor was brought in sometime in late June to read sides from 1995 Bond film GoldenEye. It is suggested he may have performed pages from Knight's in-progress script for Bond 26. Reports claims the London BRIT School graduate 'was given just one piece of direction before the test cameras rolled: Don't impersonate a previous Bond.' Rose-Marsh has a handful of film and TV credits, including the 2021 independent movie Krays: Code Of Silence (2021), as well as the UK TV shows Chloe (2021) and The Outlaws (2021-22). This news goes against reports that Amazon, which bought the 007 franchise for a reported $1 billion this year and are now in creative control, are looking for a younger actor in his 20s for the next Bond. It also confirms that the race to become the next James Bond is an unpredictable one, as there has never been a redheaded 007. Should Rose-March make it through the audition process and become the new Bond, he'll doubtlessly have UK tabloid headlines to deal with – especially considering the ridiculous fuss made over Daniel Craig's blond hair when he was cast in 2005. Still, it's early in the process and no official statements have been released regarding casting. Elsewhere, Succession star Brian Cox, who also hosts the Prime Video reality competition show spin-off 007: Road to a Million, recently said Peaky Blinders star Cillian Murphy would be an "interesting" choice to play James Bond. In an interview with Radio Times, Cox asked: "Is Cillian Murphy being recommended? I think that would be interesting. I like Cillian. He's very real, he's got no crap about him." In the interview, Cox went on to describe Valdimir Putin as a 'definite villain' and criticised Donald Trump's administration. 'There's certainly a lot of people around who I feel are villainous,' said the 79-year-old Scottish actor, adding: 'With what's happening in Ukraine, Putin is a definite villain, for my money.' 'I think some of the American behaviour has definitely been unthinking," said Cox. "What's tragic is that America was built on the notion of egalitarianism, and the present administration don't want us to be equal.' There is still no official release date or title for the 26th 007 movie.
Euronews
05-08-2025
- Euronews
Dolly Parton becomes Guinness World Records icon
As part of its 70th anniversary celebrations, Guinness World Records has honoured US country star Dolly Parton as one of their icons. The company – which lists world record achievements – has given Parton, 79, an Icon certificate, presented to her at her studios in Nashville, Tennessee, celebrating the fact that the 'Jolene' singer holds 11 record-breaking titles. These include most consecutive decades with top 10 album entries on the Billboard country chart, most studio albums released by a female country singer, and most Grammy nominations for a female country artist. Parton was also the first country singer to be nominated for the EGOT – an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony – aka the 'Grand Slam of showbusiness'. Craig Glenday, editor in chief at Guinness World Records, said: 'Dolly is undoubtedly one of the most celebrated writers and performers in the history of country music, as reflected in her many Guinness World Records certificates, but her reach and influence extends far beyond the musical world.' He added: 'There are so many projects close to her heart – poverty relief, education, medical research and of course the Imagination Library free-books campaign – and it's these important, life-changing initiatives that propels Dolly into a different league. She truly is a living legend, and it's an honour to bestow GWR Icon status upon her.' Parton's charitable and philanthropic work includes the Dollywood Foundation, founded in 1988. The institution champions the education of children in her home state of Tennessee. As for her literacy initiative, Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, it has distributed more than 285 million books globally since 1995. Besides her music career, Parton has starred in films like 9 to 5 and Steel Magnolias, and earned two original song Oscar nominations for '9 to 5', and 'Travelin' Thru from Transamerica' from the film Transamerica. In June, it was announced that she would be honoured in November with the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian award – an Oscar statuette presented to Hollywood figures renowned for 'promoting human welfare and contributing to rectifying inequities'. Guinness World Records published its first book in London in 1955 and has sold more than 143 million copies in over 100 countries since then. The Icon certificate has previously been awarded to stars including Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Sir Paul McCartney and Sir Elton John.
