She was well-loved.
The passing of Gilles Sobourg brought together many who knew her, particularly from her younger years.
A post shared memories of her as a singer at the University of Colorado and featured thoughts from a former roommate who regretted not keeping in touch as the musician passed away.
“We were only roommates our freshman year, but we remained friends throughout college,” Wendy Greenguard Mikkulka mentioned, sharing an emotional photo on May 5. The tears echoed around the university’s dorms as she remembered.
“She spent a semester in Spain and chose not to return to finish her degree, which allowed her to focus on her music career,” she explained about Sobourg. “She wrote a song called ‘Wendell Lee’, and that’s the guy next to her in the photo.”
Mikkulka described Sobourg as “the life of the party, easy to be around,” emphasizing how “full of fun” she was in college.
“She always dreamed of being a musician. I used to go to her gigs at a coffee shop in Boulder. Some of us would pretend to be backup singers or dancers. She really loved writing catchy songs,” she reminisced.
The house where Jill Sobourg was staying caught fire, and she couldn’t escape.
The incident sparked significant damage and led to a tragic loss. Jill Sobourg was known for her hits like “I Kissed a Girl” and “Supermodel.”
“She had a great sense of humor,” her former roommate recalled. “One Halloween, she dressed up as a pregnant Girl Scout. That was classic Jill.” Mikkulka also added that Sobourg left college and returned to Denver, where they drifted apart.
However, their paths crossed again in San Francisco, where Mikkulka attended one of Sobourg’s shows about ten years ago.
Afterward, they enjoyed catching up, but Mikkulka expressed sadness over their lost connection. “I tried to reach her after my mother passed away, but it didn’t work out. I wish I had put in more effort,” she shared.
Jill unexpectedly died on May 1 in Minnesota due to a fire at her residence. She was 66.
Her friends managed to escape, but they did not know that Sobourg was trapped.
Authorities are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the fire.
“The WPD confirmed that the fire victim was Jill Sobourg,” stated WPD Patrol Commander Tom Ehrenberg, adding that they were looking into how the fire started.
The Ramsey County Medical Examiner has yet to finalize the official cause of death, and investigations are continuing.
It remains unclear what caused the fire, and a representative confirmed that Sobourg’s body has been tested for various substances to determine the circumstances of her death.
Aside from “I Kissed a Girl,” Sobourg gained recognition with “Supermodel,” featured in the film “Clueless.”
She was planning to celebrate the 30th anniversary of “F-K 7th Grade” this year. A reissue of her self-titled album was due out soon, which included her well-known songs.
Following her shocking death, an event planned for May 2 in Denver was canceled.
Some of Sobourg’s colleagues expressed their condolences. Her booking agent, Ken Hertz, referred to her as family.
“She was there for every major occasion in our lives. She played at our daughter’s wedding and even performed via Zoom from our living room during the pandemic, where I was her tech support,” Hertz recalled.
Sobourg is survived by her brother, James, a step-sister-in-law, Mary, and two nephews. An official memorial to celebrate her life is expected later this summer.
