Jill Sobule’s friends believed the singer-songwriter escaped their house amid a blaze that killed the “Supermodel” singer in Minnesota early Thursday, as authorities try to establish whether Sobule died before or amid the fire.
The couple, whose names have not been released, rushed out of the suburban St. Paul home upon realizing it was ablaze, at which point they believed Sobule was with them, her agent Craig Grossman told TMZ Friday.
It wasn’t until they’d escaped that they came to the tragic realization Sobule was trapped in the Woodbury residence, where the fire was too far gone to retrieve and save her.
The Ramsey County Medical Examiner told the outlet they’re conducting testing to determine if carbon monoxide poisoning, alcohol, or drugs may have played a role in her death. Grossman says Sobule was not a drug user.
The cause of the devastating fire is similarly unclear at this time, both to authorities and the homeowners, who Grossman said remain baffled.
Sobule’s publicist confirmed her death to The Associated Press. Her manager remembered the civically-minded artist as “a force of nature and human rights advocate whose music is woven into our culture.”
Sobule was best known for her 1995 singles “Supermodel” — featured on the “Clueless” soundtrack — and “I Kissed a Girl.” The latter made history as the first openly queer-themed Billboard Top 20 record, according to Sobule’s website.
Her work also addressed issues such as reproduction and the death penalty.
In 2022, Sobule dismissed the label of “one-hit wonder,” telling The New York Times she’d correct people: “Wait a second, I’m a two-hit wonder!”
Prior to her death, Sobule was scheduled to perform Friday in her native Denver.
With News Wire Services
