Latest news with #Sobule
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
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.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Terrifying details of ‘I Kissed a Girl' singer Jill Sobule's fatal house fire revealed as investigation continues
Jill Sobule's death is still under investigation as new horrific details emerge about the fatal house fire that broke out earlier this month. The 'I Kissed a Girl' hitmaker's body was discovered in a bedroom on the second floor of her friends' two-story Minnesota home, according to the Woodbury Public Safety's fire report obtained by The Post on Tuesday. The report dated May 16 stated that while the source and cause of the fire are still being investigated, the blaze may have started outside, with officials noting that 'abandoned or discarded materials or products' were contributing factors to the ignition. It also stated that those inside the home were asleep when the fire broke out on May 1 at around 5:37 a.m. and that they did not appear to be impaired by drugs or alcohol. Smoke detectors were present and alerted the occupants of the blaze, per the report that also revealed three stories of the home, which included the roof, suffered 'extreme damage' of upwards to 70-100 percent. The report also included an incident summary detailing what Woodbury firefighters witnessed when they first approached the burning home — and their heroic efforts to desperately extinguish the out-of-control blaze when they learned that Sobule had not made it out with her friends. 'Initial reports stated there was no one inside. While enroute [sic], a dispatch update revealed there was one person still inside the home,' the outline read, stating that 'large heavy black smoke was witnessed from about 1/2 mile out from the home.' When the first fire unit arrived on the scene, they 'could see flames fully involved in [the] back of [the] home, with large rolling flames coming out the front door of the home and out through the roof,' as well as 'heavy smoke and flames coming from the front door and front windows.' They also noted that 'the back deck was 'fully gone' and the basement windows on the west side of the home were actively breaking out due to the heavy fire involvement.' The first arriving crews were 'initially unable to make entry into the home' due to the 'heavy amounts of smoke and flame,' the report stated, noting that 'an exterior offensive attack strategy' was then called into play. Firefighters worked tirelessly, with some battling the fire from the front of the 3,128-square-foot home and others tackling the flames from the back as two ambulances were requested to the scene 'for EMS standby.' 'After knocking down enough fire to safetly [sic] gain access into the home, a primary search was initiated to locate the missing person,' the report read. 'The deceased was found on the second floor of the home in a bedroom on the Charlie/Delta corner.' The State Fire Marshal and the Ramsey County Medical Examiner later arrived at the scene to conduct their investigations before crews removed Sobule's body from the four-bedroom, three-bathroom home. Teams continued to clean up and extinguish the remaining hot spots before all units cleared the scene, according to the report. The scene examination also revealed that 'heavy fire damage' was 'observed on the rear exterior of the home, appearing to originate near the pre-existing screened in porch and deck area,' with burn patterns extending 'from the ground level up to the deck' and continuing 'to the roofline and into the attic space of the roof.' The report noted that 'the deck area and screened in porch are mostly gone, with only some horizontal and vertical structural support members remaining.' The Woodbury Public Safety Fire Marshal concluded that following the preliminary investigation into the fatal fire, further examination assistance is needed, so it's now in the hands of the Minnesota State Fire Marshal's Office. 'At the time of completion of this report, the cause of the fire and death still remain under investigation,' the fire marshal stated. Sobule — known for her groundbreaking '90s hits 'I Kissed a Girl' and 'Supermodel,' which was featured in the movie 'Clueless' — tragically died at age 66. Photos showed the heavy damage to the home after the fatal inferno. Almost immediately, investigators began looking into whether the singer was still alive when the house went up in flames. Sobule's friends — a married couple — made it out of their house and believed she was behind them. Once they were safely outside, they discovered the heartbreaking truth. 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 former roommate exclusively spoke to The Post and recalled her last memory of the star. Sobule dropped 12 albums during her three-decades-long career and was also behind the autobiographical musical 'F–k 7th Grade,' which saw a four-theatrical run, as well as the theme song for Nickelodeon's 'Unfabulous.' She left behind her brother, James, sister-in-law, Mary, and two nephews.
New York Post
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Jill Sobule death: Terrifying new details of house fire revealed
Jill Sobule's death is still under investigation as new horrific details emerge about the fatal house fire that broke out earlier this month. The 'I Kissed a Girl' hitmaker's body was discovered in a bedroom on the second floor of her friends' two-story Minnesota home, according to the Woodbury Public Safety's fire report obtained by The Post on Tuesday. The report dated May 16 stated that while the source and cause of the fire are still being investigated, the blaze may have started outside, with officials noting that 'abandoned or discarded materials or products' were contributing factors to the ignition. Advertisement It also stated that those inside the home were asleep when the fire broke out on May 1 at around 5:37 a.m. and that they did not appear to be impaired by drugs or alcohol. 14 Jill Sobule attends the GLAAD Media Awards at The Beverly Hilton on March 30, 2023. Getty Images for GLAAD 14 The house where Jill Sobule was staying showed heavy damage on Friday, May 2, 2025, in Woodbury, Minn., a day after the deadly fire broke out. AP Advertisement Smoke detectors were present and alerted the occupants of the blaze, per the report that also revealed three stories of the home, which included the roof, suffered 'extreme damage' of upwards to 70-100 percent. The report also included an incident summary detailing what Woodbury firefighters witnessed when they first approached the burning home — and their heroic efforts to desperately extinguish the out-of-control blaze when they learned that Sobule had not made it out with her friends. 'Initial reports stated there was no one inside. While enroute [sic], a dispatch update revealed there was one person still inside the home,' the outline read, stating that 'large heavy black smoke was witnessed from about 1/2 mile out from the home.' 14 Jill Sobule lost her life on May 1 at age 66. FilmMagic Advertisement 14 Smoke detectors were present and alerted the occupants of the blaze, per the report that also revealed three stories of the home, which included the roof, suffered 'extreme damage' of upwards to 100 percent. AP 14 Her body was discovered in a bedroom on the second floor of the house, according to the report. WireImage When the first fire unit arrived on the scene, they 'could see flames fully involved in [the] back of [the] home, with large rolling flames coming out the front door of the home and out through the roof,' as well as 'heavy smoke and flames coming from the front door and front windows.' They also noted that 'the back deck was 'fully gone' and the basement windows on the west side of the home were actively breaking out due to the heavy fire involvement.' Advertisement The first arriving crews were 'initially unable to make entry into the home' due to the 'heavy amounts of smoke and flame,' the report stated, noting that 'an exterior offensive attack strategy' was then called into play. 14 The singer was known for her '90s hits 'I Kissed a Girl' and 'Supermodel,' which was featured in 'Clueless.' AP 14 Jill Sobule performs during the 15th Annual Bridge School Benefit October 21, 2001. Getty Images Firefighters worked tirelessly, with some battling the fire from the front of the 3,128-square-foot home and others tackling the flames from the back as two ambulances were requested to the scene 'for EMS standby.' 'After knocking down enough fire to safetly [sic] gain access into the home, a primary search was initiated to locate the missing person,' the report read. 'The deceased was found on the second floor of the home in a bedroom on the Charlie/Delta corner.' The State Fire Marshal and the Ramsey County Medical Examiner later arrived at the scene to conduct their investigations before crews removed Sobule's body from the four-bedroom, three-bathroom home. 14 The source and cause of the fire are still being investigated, the report exclusively obtained by The Post revealed. Andy Kropa/Invision/AP 14 The star was staying with her married friends when the fire broke out. Getty Images Advertisement Teams continued to clean up and extinguish the remaining hot spots before all units cleared the scene, according to the report. The scene examination also revealed that 'heavy fire damage' was 'observed on the rear exterior of the home, appearing to originate near the pre-existing screened in porch and deck area,' with burn patterns extending 'from the ground level up to the deck' and continuing 'to the roofline and into the attic space of the roof.' The report noted that 'the deck area and screened in porch are mostly gone, with only some horizontal and vertical structural support members remaining.' 14 Firefighters battled the blaze from the front and back of the home. AP Advertisement 14 The report detailed the heavy damage done to the home. AP 14 Jill Sobule's death is also still under investigation. Getty Images The Woodbury Public Safety Fire Marshal concluded that following the preliminary investigation into the fatal fire, further examination assistance is needed, so it's now in the hands of the Minnesota State Fire Marshal's Office. 'At the time of completion of this report, the cause of the fire and death still remain under investigation,' the fire marshal stated. Advertisement Sobule — known for her groundbreaking '90s hits 'I Kissed a Girl' and 'Supermodel,' which was featured in the movie 'Clueless' — tragically died at age 66. Photos showed the heavy damage to the home after the fatal inferno. 14 The singer's former roommate spoke to The Post about her shocking death. Getty Images 14 Jill Sobule's friends thought she had run out of the house behind them. Getty Images Advertisement Almost immediately, investigators began looking into whether the singer was still alive when the house went up in flames. Sobule's friends — a married couple — made it out of their house and believed she was behind them. Once they were safely outside, they discovered the heartbreaking truth. 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 former roommate exclusively spoke to The Post and recalled her last memory of the star. Sobule dropped 12 albums during her three-decades-long career and was also behind the autobiographical musical 'F–k 7th Grade,' which saw a four-theatrical run, as well as the theme song for Nickelodeon's 'Unfabulous.' She left behind her brother, James, sister-in-law, Mary, and two nephews.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Watch Jill Sobule's ‘Underdog Victorious' Video, From the Musical Completed Before Her Death, ‘F*ck 7th Grade'
Before her tragic death in a Minneapolis house fire earlier this month, singer-songwriter Jill Sobule had completed work on a Drama Desk-nominated 'autobiographical musical memoir' called 'F*ck 7 th Grade,' which was filled with both the incisive melodicism and humor that marked all of her best work. The original cast recording of the musical remains scheduled for release on June 6 — and the first video from it can be seen below. While it tells the story of a nerdy but ambitious young boy, 'Underdog Victorious' clearly has many autobiographical elements, and Sobule and her band give a rousing performance of the song, and its who-laughs-last lyrics and soaring, signature chorus: 'Underdog victorious / He was simply glorious / Someday he'd die notorious / Underdog victorious.' More from Variety Jill Sobule, Singer-Songwriter of Groundbreaking 1995 Song 'I Kissed a Girl,' Dies in House Fire 'F*ck 7th Grade' debuted at a drive-in during the pandemic in Pittsburgh, before experiencing a three year run off Broadway at the Wild Project. Sobule was also gearing up for the 30th anniversary of her landmark self-titled album — which featured the hits 'I Kissed a Girl' (not the later Katy Perry song of the same title) and 'Supermodel' — with a special red vinyl reissue. Several of her concerts scheduled for the summer are being transformed into celebrations of her life and music, which her team is calling 'Jillith Fairs.' The cause of the fire in which Sobule died remains under investigation. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Emmy Predictions: Talk/Scripted Variety Series - The Variety Categories Are Still a Mess; Netflix, Dropout, and 'Hot Ones' Stir Up Buzz Oscars Predictions 2026: 'Sinners' Becomes Early Contender Ahead of Cannes Film Festival
New York Post
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Jill Sobule's ex-roommate reflects on singer's life after fatal house fire
She was loved. Jill Sobule's death has brought several people together, including those who were close to her in her younger years. The Post spoke to Sobule's former college roommate, who shared specifics about the singer's time at the University of Colorado and expressed regret over not keeping in closer contact amid the musician's passing. Advertisement 'We were only roommates our freshman year but were friends throughout college,' Wendy Greengard Mikulka told The Post and also provided a photo with Sobule from inside their dorm in Williams Village at the university on Monday, May 5. 11 Jill Sobule with her former college roommate, Wendy Greengard Mikulka, and friends at the University of Colorado. Wendy Greengard Mikulka 11 The '90s pop sensation died unexpectedly on Thursday, May 1. Getty Images Advertisement 'She spent a semester in Spain and came back and didn't continue college so she could pursue her music career,' she explained of Sobule. 'She wrote a song called 'Wendell Lee.' He is the guy sitting next to her in the picture.' Greengard Mikulka recalled Sobule being 'the life of the party and easy to be around,' adding the late singer was 'so fun in college.' 'She always wanted to be a musician. I used to go to her gigs at coffee shops in Boulder and listen to her play. Some of her other friends and I used to pretend to be backup singers and dancers. She always loved writing fun songs,' she shared of Sobule's early years before fame. 11 The home Jill Sobule was staying in went up in flames, and she was unable to escape. AP Advertisement 11 The property showed heavy damage post-fire. AP 11 Jill Sobule was behind the 1995 anthem 'I Kissed a Girl' and 'Supermodel,' which was featured in the classic film 'Clueless.' FilmMagic The 'I Kissed a Girl' singer always had a sense of humor, her former roommate recalled. 'I remember one Halloween she dressed up like a pregnant Girl Scout. That was Jill for you,' her college friend reminisced, adding, 'She left college and moved back to Denver if I remember right, and didn't graduate with me, and we kind of lost touch.' Advertisement However, their paths would later cross in San Francisco, with Greengard Mikulka telling The Post that she went to one of Sobule's shows in the city about ten years ago. 11 'She always wanted to be a musician,' her ex-roommate told The Post. 'She always loved writing fun songs.' WireImage 11 'I tried to contact her after her mom died, but was unsuccessful. I wish I would have tried harder,' her former roommate shared. WireImage for Sundance Film Festival 'We stayed after the show was over and spent a bunch of time catching up,' she said. Greengard Mikulka expressed regret for not keeping closer contact with Sobule. 'I tried to contact her after her mom died, but was unsuccessful. I wish I would have tried harder,' she shared. Sobule unexpectedly died in Minnesota on Thursday, May 1, when a fire broke out at the house where she was staying. She was 66 years old. 11 Jill Sobule was staying with friends when a fire broke out in the home. AP Advertisement While her friends made it out of their home safely, they did not notice the singer was unable to free herself from the flames. Law enforcement has revealed that an investigation is underway to determine if Sobule passed away before the deadly inferno broke out. '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 said investigators are looking into how the fire started. 11 Her pals made it out safety and were unaware the singer couldn't escape the inferno. Andy Kropa/Invision/AP Advertisement '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.' Her friends have no idea how the fire started, according to TMZ. 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 the outlet. The singer was behind the iconic 1995 hit 'I Kissed a Girl,' which is widely considered the first openly gay-themed tune to break into the Billboard Top 20. Advertisement 11 An investigation has been launched to see if the singer possibly died before the fire. Getty Images Sobule also found recognition with her song 'Supermodel,' which was featured in Alicia Silverstone's breakout movie 'Clueless' (1995), the autobiographical Drama Desk-nominated musical 'F–k 7th Grade' about being queer in middle school, and creating the theme song for Nickelodeon's 'Unfabulous.' Sobule was getting ready to celebrate the 30-year anniversary of 'F—k 7th Grade,' with the original cast recording being released in June alongside the reissue of her self-titled album, featuring 'I Kissed a Girl' and 'Supermodel.' 11 A formal memorial celebrating her life will reportedly happen later this summer. Getty Images for GLAAD Advertisement She was scheduled to perform 'Jill Sobule presents: Songs From F–k 7th Grade & More' on Friday, May 2, in Denver, Colorado. However, following the news of her shocking death, the event was canceled. Several of Sobule's colleagues have spoken out after her passing. Her booking agent, Ken Hertz, called her 'family.' '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,' Hertz told The Post. 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.
