Following Jill Sobule’s tragic death on Thursday, the president and CEO of GLAAD released a statement honoring the groundbreaking singer/songwriter.
“Jill wasn’t just a trailblazer in music—she was a beacon for queer artists, and I was incredibly lucky to call her a dear friend,” Sarah Kate Ellis wrote on Friday morning (May 2). “Long before it was safe or common, Jill was writing and singing about sexuality and identity with raw honesty and wit.
“At a time when doing so could have cost her everything, she chose truth,” Ellis continued. “That courage helped pave the way for today’s artists like Brandi Carlile, Tegan and Sara, Lil Nas X, Sam Smith, Adam Lambert, and so many others who now stand proud and open in their music.”
After shouting out Sobule’s Drama Desk-nominated musical F*ck 7th Grade, the GLAAD executive concluded by writing, “Jill was a rare light—funny, fearless, and full of heart. Her impact will live on through her art and through everyone she inspired. Res in power, Jill. You are so loved.”
Sobule died in a house fire in Minnesota at age 66. The folk-pop singer became the first artist to crack the top 20 of a Billboard chart with an explicitly gay-themed song after her 1995 single “I Kissed a Girl” peaked at No. 20 on what is now the Alternative Airplay tally. She was also known for the single “Supermodel,” which was featured on the Clueless soundtrack.
Read GLAAD’s social media post paying tribute to Sobule’s life and legacy here.