Jill Sobule wrote truths, tucked inside melodies that made you laugh, think, and maybe even cry. From the first openly gay Top 20 hit to her brilliant satire and soul-baring ballads, Jill carved out a lane that no one else could walk but everyone was invited into. While most know her for “I Kissed a Girl” and Clueless’s “Supermodel,” here are 5 things you might not know about the late, great Jill Sobule:
1. She Was One of the First Musicians to Successfully Crowdfund an Album
Before Kickstarter, before Patreon, before fan-funding became the norm—there was Jill Sobule. In 2008, she raised $75,000 from fans through her own website to record her album California Years. She offered everything from signed albums to the chance to sing backup vocals for a donation. It worked. Jill not only got her record made—she helped invent a new model for independent artists.
2. She Turned a Charm Bracelet Into an Album
Jill’s 2014 record Dottie’s Charms was inspired by a real charm bracelet someone gave her. Each song on the album was written in collaboration with one of her favorite authors—like Jonathan Lethem, David Hajdu, and Vendela Vida—with every track representing a charm. It was literary, musical, deeply personal, and wholly Jill: whimsical, but never without meaning.
3. She Wrote Unforgettable Music for a Teen Show… and a Platypus
Jill composed several songs for the Nickelodeon series Unfabulous, including the theme song and multiple tunes “written” by the show’s young protagonist. But her most unexpected project? Prozak and the Platypus—a multimedia play about depression, REM sleep research, and a talking platypus named Frankie. Only Jill could turn something that outlandish into something so human.
4. She Had a Voice in More Than One Sense
Jill’s voice could swing from biting satire to emotional openness in seconds. But her actual voice? Unmistakable. Critics called it “wry and wistful,” “as clear as spring water,” and “like someone cracking jokes while quietly breaking your heart.” That duality was her secret weapon—no one sounded like Jill because no one felt quite like her.
5. She Made Space Before There Was Space
When “I Kissed a Girl” hit the Top 20 in 1995, it was about truth. Jill opened doors for queer artists in a time when that kind of visibility was rare, even dangerous. Her songs tackled anorexia, aging, religion, and politics—with humor, empathy, and guts. Long before conversations about representation became mainstream, Jill was already doing the work, guitar in hand.
Jill Sobule may have left us, but her spirit sings on—in every artist she inspired, every girl she gave a voice to, and every listener who finally felt seen.
