Police launch investigation into I Kissed A Girl singer Jill Souble's death after house fire
The music world is mourning the loss of Jill Sobule, known for her 1995 hit single "I Kissed a Girl", who has tragically died at the age of 66. The singer-songwriter tragically died in a house fire in Minneapolis, Minnesota on Thursday, May 1, as confirmed by a representative to Variety.
Police in the suburb of Woodbury are now investigating the cause of the fire at the house where Sobule was found, the Star Tribune reported.
Jill was scheduled to perform in Denver on Friday at Swallow Hill Music's Tuft Theater with a show titled "Jill Sobule presents: Songs From F--k 7th Grade and More." In light of her passing, the theater will host an informal gathering led by her friend Ron Bostwick from 105.5 FM. Her manager, John Porter, released a heartfelt statement to the publication, saying: "Jill Sobule was a force of nature and human rights advocate whose music is woven into our culture."
He went on to express his personal loss: "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's passing has left a deep void in the hearts of those who knew her, both personally and professionally. Among them is her booking agent, Craig Grossman, who reflected on the rare connection they shared: 'I was fortunate enough to get to know Jill beyond a professional relationship. No one made me laugh more. Her spirit and energy shall be greatly missed within the music community and beyond.'
Her attorney and longtime friend, Ken Hertz, echoed that sentiment, offering a glimpse into the closeness of their bond. '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,' he said.
Born in Denver in 1959, Sobule rose to prominence with her 1990 debut Things Here Are Different. But it was her self-titled 1995 album Jill Sobule that catapulted her into cultural significance.
The release featured 'I Kissed a Girl,' a song that broke ground as one of the earliest mainstream tracks to unapologetically center LGBTQ+ identity, earning a spot on the Billboard Top 20. That same album gave fans the iconic anthem 'Supermodel,' further solidifying her place in pop culture.
Never one to shy away from tough conversations, Sobule embedded activism into her art. Her lyrics tackled everything from reproductive rights to eating disorders, from shoplifting to capital punishment - and she didn't hesitate to critique political movements like MAGA through her work.
She leaves behind her brother James and his wife Mary Ellen, nephews Ian Matthew and Robert, and Robert's wife Irina. A wide circle of cousins and friends also mourn her loss.
A public memorial celebrating her life and artistic legacy is planned for this summer.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
8 hours ago
- The Independent
Liverpool Pride back on after LGBTQ+ charity steps up
Liverpool Pride is back on this year, after an LGBTQ+ charity has stepped in to help facilitate and coordinate a city-wide, community-led celebration. The original organisers, LCR Pride Foundation, originally cancelled their 26 July party and parade plans due to 'significant financial and organisational challenges, which have impacted timescales and resulted in it reverting to an almost entirely volunteer-led operation'. But Sahir House, the city's oldest LGBTQ+ charity, shared on social media that they have 'turned things around' and Pride will be 'louder, prouder, and truly ours.' This year's Pride in Liverpool will see a new march route, a queer arena celebration, as well as activities for families and a Pride Quarter family as Sahir House said 'pride is for everyone.' It comes after The Independent reported last week that Pride organisers are warning Donald Trump's DEI rollback in the states was having an effect in the UK, with UK Pride Organisers Network (UKPON) cited a decline in corporate sponsorships for 75 per cent of Pride events across the UK this year. Organisers said that big corporations that had long sponsored Pride were 'pulling back their funding in all aspects', especially if they have head offices in the US. Dee Llewellyn, chair of UKPON and director of partnerships and growth for London Pride, said support for Pride had 'fallen off a cliff', causing a number of events across the country close their doors, including big events such as Liverpool. Sahir House has set a goal of £60,000 in order to fund its grassroots Pride celebration, having so far managed to raise £15,416. John Hyland, former co-chair of Liverpool Pride and the Community Partnerships and Individual Giving Lead for Sahir, had told The Independent that now more than ever before, Pride was necessary. 'I think definitely in light of what's happened with the Supreme Court ruling, we've had a number of number of transgender community-led protests happen in Liverpool,' he said. 'If there's a year where we need Pride to happen, it's this year and our community has been very vocal about that.' The charity said in a statement on its website: 'Thanks to the passion, determination and sheer graft of local LGBTQ+ artists, activists, organisations and allies, we've turned things around to make Pride happen. 'This year, we're proudly calling it Liverpool's Pride – with an apostrophe and an 's' – because this Pride belongs to all of us. It's Liverpool's moment to come together, celebrate loudly, protest proudly, and reclaim our Pride with love, resilience and joy.' Pride will kick off in the city with a grassroots celebration in Prescot, taking place at Shakespeare North Playhouse on 19 July with creative workshops, spoken word, 'a symbolic Pride demonstration' with flash mobs, as well as social spaces and community connection. 'Let's celebrate Pride together, where every voice is heard and every identity shines', a statement read.
NBC News
8 hours ago
- NBC News
Rob McElhenney defends name change in cheeky video
Rob McElhenney isn't making any apologies over his decision to change his name, but he is making a few jokes about it. The 'It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia' star addressed the move amid reports he has filed paperwork to change his name. 'Yes, I'm shortening my name to Rob Mac,' he said in the July 1 clip he posted on X, confirming the news himself. 'Mostly a stage name, but I digress.' He then used his trademark humor to explain just what has gone into his decision. 'The amount of time that I have wasted trying to get people to either say or spell my name correctly is literally days of my life,' he said, as quick clips of others saying his name wrong played in the middle of him speaking, 'Trust me, I added it up. 'More importantly, it means thousands of you have had minutes of your life stolen by me because of my last name.' McElhenney playfully pointed out the false connection the family has to the moniker. 'Still, it's a family name,' he said. 'My grandparents, parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins and I all share it, and I love them and I want to stay connected. There's heritage. Except, it's not even really our f------ name." He then explained how different generations have changed the spelling of it. 'The current one was just given to my ancestor by a government official who decided that this was now the spelling,' he said, while also revealing his great-great-grandmother went by Bridget McIllhenny. McElhenney then dove into how ridiculous the whole matter is. 'Times have changed and most people already call me Rob Mac anyway,' he said. 'My family knows me and loves me regardless of how many syllables I have, and that's the only thing that I really care about. There are so many things going on in the world, and this is a silly one to continue to waste your time with.' McElhenney also said he's OK with whatever name people want to give him, using the actual first names of celebrities as their pictures appeared on the screen. 'Honestly, call me whatever you want: Marion, Jerome, Archibald, Eric, Maurice, Stephanie, Frances, Marvin, Gordon or Sam. But maybe we just keep it simple and try Rob Mac. Let's see how it goes,' he said. In May, McElhenney opened up about how he was mulling over a name change in the wake of his multimedia company, More Better Industries, adding to its global portfolio. 'As our business and our storytelling is expanding into other regions of the world and other languages in which my name is even harder to pronounce, I'm just going by Rob Mac,' he told Variety. The level of difficulty in pronouncing 'McElhenney' is old hat. In 2023, his friend and fellow co-owner of Wrexham A.F.C. soccer club, Ryan Reynolds, released a humorous video about how to say it. 'It's Mackle-Henney, it's Mackle-Henney,' Reynolds sang with a roster of guest stars, including McElhenney's wife, Kaitlin Olson, and Philadelphia Eagles legend Jason Kelce.
NBC News
12 hours ago
- NBC News
Scooter Braun to step down as CEO of Hybe America
Scooter Braun is stepping down as the CEO of Hybe America after four years of leading the U.S. branch of the renowned South Korean entertainment group. He will remain at the company in an executive advisory capacity, Rolling Stone magazine reported. Braun will also keep his spot in Hybe's board of directors and serve as senior adviser to Bang Si-Hyuk, Hybe's chairman, Variety reported. Braun did not immediately respond to an NBC News request for comment. The arrangement will reportedly allow Braun to pursue new projects while also remaining as the second-largest individual shareholder of Hybe, the company behind the global success of K-pop groups like BTS, Tomorrow X Together and NewJeans. Isaac Lee, who leads the Latin American arm of Hybe, will take over Braun's role, according to Variety. Braun and Hybe have been in business together since April 2021, when the conglomerate merged with Braun's Ithaca Holdings. The venture included a publishing company, the country label Big Machine Label Group and Braun's management company SB Projects, which represented music giants like Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, J Balvin among other artists. Shortly after the sale, Braun was made CEO of Hybe America. Last year, Braun officially retired from managing artists to focus on his role at Hybe. Big Machine Label Group was the record company that helped launch Taylor Swift's career and was later involved in a dispute over the rights to her music. Swift's music was sold to the investment firm Shamrock Capital before Ithaca Holdings' merger with Hybe. Shamrock Capital then sold the music catalog to Swift earlier this year.
