00:06Duncan Sheik, who burst onto the scene in 1996 with the hit song, Barely Breathing,
00:11has died after suffering a cardiac arrest. He was 56. Sheik was hospitalized in critical but
00:17stable condition, according to a family statement, on Wednesday, September 16th. Then on Friday,
00:22September 18th, they confirmed he passed away, surrounded by love. Sheik, a native of Montclair,
00:28New Jersey, attended Brown University before moving to California in the early 90s to pursue music.
00:34However, theater fans will remember him as the composer of the cult musical Spring Awakening,
00:39with Stephen Stater, which won him a Tony and a Grammy.
00:43The cast gave an emotional performance at the 2007 Tony Awards.
01:00In 2015, Sheik opened up to Broadcast Music, Inc. about the original Broadway cast,
01:06which included future Glee stars Jonathan Groff and Lea Michele, and pitch-perfect actor Skylar
01:12Astin.
01:13We got along really well. It was a lot of fun, and I will always cherish those memories,
01:17the good, the bad, and the ugly, of developing that first version of Spring Awakening.
01:22Of his big radio hit, Barely Breathing, he said the song kind of took on a life of its own.
01:27It reached number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100, and he called it life-changing for him. It also
01:32earned him a Grammy nomination for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance in 1998.
01:37Sheik also wrote music and lyrics for the 2016 Broadway adaptation of American Psycho,
01:42based on the 1991 novel and 2000 film, starring Christian Bale.
01:47Sheik is survived by his longtime partner, Nora Arifin, and their daughter, Enes,
01:51A family statement read,
01:52The world has lost a singular talent and deeply influential voice in music and theater.
01:57Duncan's artistry touched many and leaves an indelible mark on the cultural landscape.
02:02Duncan was a father, husband, son, brother, and friend. He will be remembered for his sensitivity,
02:08wit, intelligence, and depth of spirit he brought to those who knew and loved him.
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