Duncan Sheik, the musician behind the hit 'Barely Breathing' and the Tony-winning musical 'Spring Awakening,' has died at age 56 following cardiac arrest.
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Key facts
- •Duncan Sheik was born on November 18, 1969, in Glen Ridge, New Jersey.
- •His hit single "Barely Breathing" spent 55 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
- •The musical "Spring Awakening" won eight Tony Awards in 2007.
- •Sheik is survived by his wife, Nora, their daughter, Ines, his parents, and two half-siblings.
- •The family stated that Sheik will be remembered for his "sensitivity, wit, intelligence, and depth of spirit."
Duncan Sheik, a singer-songwriter known for his 1996 hit single "Barely Breathing" and his work as a Broadway composer, has died at age 56. His mother, Suzanne Sheik, confirmed that he died on Thursday from cardiac arrest. His family announced his passing on Instagram, stating he died "surrounded by love" after previously reporting that he had been in critical but stable condition while receiving medical care.
By the numbers
Musical Career and Breakthrough
Sheik rose to prominence in the mid-1990s with "Barely Breathing," a pop-rock track that peaked at No. 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 and remained on the chart for 55 weeks. The song earned him a Grammy nomination for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. Over his career, he released nine studio albums, with his most recent, "Claptrap," debuting in 2022.
Broadway Success
In 1999, Sheik began collaborating with playwright Steven Sater on a musical adaptation of the German play "Spring Awakening." The production opened on Broadway in 2007 and won eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical. Sheik personally received Tony Awards for Best Original Score and Best Orchestrations, as well as a Grammy Award for the show's cast album. He later composed music for other theater projects, including the 2016 Broadway production of "American Psycho" and the 2018 off-Broadway show "Alice by Heart."
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by CBS News Entertainment, Pitchfork, NBC News Pop Culture.
