Jill Sobule death investigation underway to determine if singer died before fire broke out
An investigation has been launched to determine if singer Jill Sobule passed away before the house fire that took her life.
The '90s icon — known for her 1995 anthem 'I Kissed a Girl' — failed to escape the blaze that broke out at her friend's home in St. Paul, Minnesota, on Thursday. She was 66.
Now, investigators are looking into whether she was still alive when the house went up in flames.
Sobule's body is being tested for drugs, alcohol and carbon monoxide poisoning to determine when and how she passed away, a Ramsey County representative in Minnesota told TMZ.
The Ramsey Medical Examiner also confirmed that an investigation into the cause and manner of her death is underway.
'WPD can confirm the victim of the fire yesterday morning was Jill Sobule,' WPD patrol commander Tom Ehrenberg told The Post on Friday. He also revealed investigators are looking into how the fire started.
'The Ramsey County Medical Examiner did not finalize the cause of death. The fire itself, including the cause, is still under active investigation, which is standing operating procedure.'
The Post has reached out to the Ramsey County rep, the police department and the coroner for comment.
Sobule was reportedly staying with her pals when the unidentified couple's house caught ablaze, Craig Grossman, the singer's rep told TMZ.
Woodbury Public Safety authorities were called to the scene at around 5:30 a.m. for the report of an active house fire.
'Upon arrival, responders observed the house fully engulfed in flames. The homeowners reported one person was possibly still inside the home. Woodbury firefighters began actively fighting the fire while also searching for the missing person. Tragically, the missing female, in her 60s, was located deceased inside the home,' the Woodbury Police Department
.
The friends believed she ran out of the home with them; however, once they were safely outside, they discovered the gut-wrenching truth.
Sobule was still inside the house, and the fire was too intense for them to rescue her. Photos show the aftermath of the fatal inferno and the damage it caused to the outside of the property.
The couple has no idea what caused their property to catch on fire, with Grossman telling TMZ that none of the trio smoked and Sobule did not use drugs.
Her friends aren't just in mourning. The pair reportedly have survivor's guilt.
The Denver native first broke out on the scene 30 years ago with 'I Kissed a Girl,' which is widely considered the first openly gay-themed tune to break into the Billboard Top 20.
However, Sobule found worldwide success with her song 'Supermodel,' which was featured in Alicia Silverstone's breakout movie 'Clueless' (1995).
Millennials will remember the tune during the scene when Silverstone's character Cher and Dionne (Stacey Dash) give their new friend, transfer student Tai (Brittany Murphy), a makeover.
Sobule was also behind the autobiographical Drama Desk-nominated musical 'F–k 7th Grade.'
The project is approaching its 30-year anniversary, and the original cast recording is set to be released in June alongside a reissue of Sobule's self-titled album, featuring her two best hits, 'I Kissed a Girl' and 'Supermodel.'
During Sobule's career, she had 12 albums and even created the theme song for Nickelodeon's 'Unfabulous.'
Several of the singer's colleagues addressed her death, with her manager, John Porter, telling The Post, '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, & legacy continue to live on and inspire others.'
Her booking agent, Ken Hertz, added that '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.'
Sobule was scheduled to perform 'Jill Sobule presents: Songs From F–k 7th Grade & More' tonight in Denver, Colorado. In the wake of her shocking death, the event has been canceled.
An informal gathering will now take place in her honor, per the theater's website.
Sobule is survived by her brother, James, sister-in-law, Mary, and two nephews. A formal memorial celebrating her life will reportedly happen later this summer.
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Kollie, Liberia Manal Aboujtila, Libya Katrin Eggenberger, Liechtenstein Deimile Soares, Lithuania Sophie-Anne Schaul, Luxembourg Mireille Ramampandrison, Madagascar Jacqueline Nhlema, Malawi Harpreet Bhal, Malaysia Widhadh Waheed, Maldives Binthily Youma Macalou, Mali Michelle Muscat, Malta Claret ChongGum, Marshall Islands Habibata Cissé, Mauritania Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, Mauritius Yolanda Sánchez, Mexico Drinnette James, Micronesia (Federated States of) Annabelle Jaeger-Seydoux, Monaco Amrita Gerelt-od, Mongolia Milica Markovic, Montenegro Touria El Glaoui, Morocco Maria Honoria da Silva Mocambique, Mozambique Ei Han, Myanmar Tisha Haushona, Namibia Angelina Waqa, Nauru Sahana Vajracharya, Nepal Andrea B. Maier, Netherlands (Kingdom of the) Alexia Hilbertidou, New Zealand Kathia Salazar, Nicaragua Alassane Soumana Roukayatou, Niger Eyitola St. Matthew-Daniel, Nigeria Matea Kocevska, North Macedonia Alliance Niyigena, Norway Ruby Saharan, Oman Mariam Zaidi, Pakistan Dee Raya Antonio, Palau Nadia Hazem, Palestine Trishna Nagrani, Panama Jenny Namana, Papua New Guinea Emilie Seitz, Paraguay Gigi Caballero, Peru Andrea Mikaella Geronimo, Philippines Elvira Eevr Djaltchinova-Malec, Poland Sandra Fankhauser, Portugal Dr. Asmaa Alfadala, Qatar Sylvia Shin, Republic of Korea Dana Muntean, Republic of Moldova Carina Schuster, Romania Ashley Dudarenok, Russian Federation Bonita Mutoni, Rwanda Vicia Woods, Saint Kitts and Nevis Sheridin Jones, Saint Lucia Rianka Chance, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Faauiga Maiava Onosai Sauiluma, Samoa Martina Mattioli, San Marino Katy Nascimento, Sao Tome and Principe Asma Alsharif, Saudi Arabia Korka Dieng, Senegal Teodora Cosic, Serbia Beverly Dick, Seychelles Sylvia Conteh, Sierra Leone Cheng Ying (Monica), Singapore Lucia Kupcova, Slovakia Ksenia Juvan, Slovenia Sharon Inone, Solomon Islands Amran Abocar, Somalia Kim August, South Africa Josephine Albino, South Sudan Alejandra Costales Richards, Spain Suba Umathevan, Sri Lanka Tahani Karrar, Sudan Radhiya Ebermann-Joval, Suriname Sabinije von Gaffke, Sweden Martina Fuchs, Switzerland Stephanie Ghazi, Syrian Arab Republic Zarina Khasanova, Tajikistan Ratih Paramitha, Thailand Dália Kiakilir, Timor-Leste Isbath Esther Ali, Togo Ofa gé, Tonga Alexa Chin Pang, Trinidad and Tobago Aya Chebbi, Tunisia Guelistan Fuchs, Türkiye Aylar Babayeva, Turkmenistan Lilly Teafa, Tuvalu Jovia Kisaakye, Uganda Kateryna Krasnozhon, Ukraine Suaad Al Shamsi, United Arab Emirates Melissa Monique, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Flaviana Matata, United Republic of Tanzania Kenzi Kachi Maduka, United States of America Camila Bentancur, Uruguay Muldir Khayitova, Uzbekistan Adrina J L Abel, Vanuatu Boglarka Sztancs, Vatican City Sophia Santi Guevara, Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Yip Thy Diep Ta, Viet Nam Wadha Abdullah Mohsin, Yemen Suwilanji Nachula, Zambia Rosheen Ngorima, Zimbabwe ABOUT THE FREQUENCY SCHOOL: The Frequency School is a pioneering global initiative designed to harness the transformative power of music for the holistic development of people around the world, focusing on the mind, body, and spirit. Through services like music therapy, education, and performance, we empower individuals to lead balanced, healthy, and fulfilling lives. The approach integrates the latest in sound therapy with traditional wellness practices to support the whole person. It was launched by Maejor, Martina Fuchs, Kingsley M, Brandon Lee, and Aaron Dawson at the renowned international boarding school Aiglon College in Switzerland in 2024. YouTube: Frequency SchoolLinkedIn: The Frequency SchoolInstagram: @thefrequencyschoolWebsite: PARTNERS: The Female Quotient 100 Women @ Davos Learnstar International Institute for Management Development (IMD) Läderach Montreux Jazz Festival China Bullock Inclusion LGT Private Banking Innovation Foundation, Empowered by the Adecco Group Global Women's Institute, The George Washington University Female Founders Initiative Global Africa Global Gender Academy (AGGA) Equal Voice The Lion Academy OpenDesk The Equality Institute Global Island Partnership (GLISPA) Caribbean Women's Network NOTA Inclusion Women Future Cities Initiative Global CSR Foundation (GCSRF) World Pulse Global Citizen Forum Video - - - - - View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE The Frequency School View original content to download multimedia:
