Duncan Sheik, Singer-Songwriter and Tony-Winning Composer, Dies at 56
Duncan Sheik, the singer-songwriter who rose to fame with the 1996 hit "Barely Breathing" and later composed the music for the Broadway musical "Spring Awakening," has died at age 56. Sheik won two Tony Awards for his work on "Spring Awakening," which marked a significant shift in his career from pop music to musical theater.
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Duncan Sheik, whose 1996 single "Barely Breathing" made him a recognizable name in pop music, died at 56, according to reporting by The New York Times. The cause and exact circumstances of his death were not detailed in the available coverage.
Sheik became widely known in the mid-1990s as a pop act associated with what The New York Times described as a "heartthrob" image — a label he grew weary of over time. "Barely Breathing" was a sustained commercial success, spending an unusually long stretch on the Billboard charts.
Rather than continue pursuing mainstream pop, Sheik redirected his career toward musical theater. He composed the music for "Spring Awakening," a Broadway production based on Frank Wedekind's 1891 German expressionist play. The show opened on Broadway and earned significant critical and commercial recognition.