The groundbreaking track became the first openly gay song to break the Billboard Top 20
Jill Sobule, the singer-songwriter behind songs “Supermodel” and “I Kissed a Girl,” has died at the age of 66.
On Thursday, her team announced that the musician had died at her home during a house fire early in the morning. “Jill Sobule was a force of nature and human rights advocate whose music is woven into our culture,” said her manager John Porter in a press release. “I was having so much fun working with her. I lost a client & a friend today. I hope her music, memory, & legacy continue to live on and inspire others.”
Sobule’s 1995 single, “I Kissed a Girl,” made history as the first openly gay song to reach the Top 20 on Billboard, while her single “Supermodel” made waves as part of the Nineties cult-classic film Clueless. She also released an autobiographical musical titled Fuck 7th Grade, which had four runs in three years. The singer released 12 albums throughout her career, and took on a range of topics in her music including anorexia, reproductive rights, and intolerance.
“I was fortunate enough to get to know Jill beyond a professional relationship,” said her agent Craig Grossman in a statement. “No one made me laugh more. Her spirit and energy shall be greatly missed within the music community and beyond.”
The singer will be honored during an “informal gathering” hosted by a local radio station host where she was originally set to perform her Jill Sobule presents: Songs From F*ck 7th Grade & More show. A formal memorial is still being planned for this summer, according to a release.
