Jill Sobule, renowned I Kissed a Girl singer, dies in house fire aged 66

Sobule’s body was found in a home in Woodbury, Minnesota, on Thursday. Police are investigating the cause of the fire, according to the Minnesota Star Tribute.

Her death was confirmed by her manager, John Porter, in a statement to the publication.

"Jill Sobule was a force of nature and human rights advocate whose music is woven into our culture," he said.

"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."

Sobule enjoyed a career spanning three decades, exploring important issues through her music, including LGBTQ+ rights, anorexia and the death penalty.

She released her first album, Things Here Are Different, in 1990.

But it was her eponymous 1995 album, which featured Supermodel and sapphic song I Kissed a Girl, that really launched her to fame.

I Kissed a Girl was banned on several radio stations in southern states in the US, but still made it into the Billboard Top 20 at the time – making history as the first openly queer-themed song to do so.

Tributes have been flooding in for Sobule following the tragic news of her passing, with musician Lloyd Cole writing on X (Twitter): "Oh, boy. Our dear friend @jillsobule has died. I'm really to numb to post much of anything. We loved her. She loved us. She was wonderful, brilliant, hilarious. We miss her, so much."

Meanwhile, musician Victor DeLorenzo wrote: "I’m so incredibly sad to learn that my friend and beautiful musician and activist Jill Sobule has died in a house fire. I loved Jill dearly and was proud to have toured with her as her drummer. I’m devastated by this sorrow of knowing I’ll never laugh with her again."