Duncan Sheik

American singer-songwriter and composer born November 18, 1969, in Montclair, New Jersey; died September 17, 2026, New York, New York (age 56). Raised in Hilton Head, South Carolina. Duncan Sheik spent his teen years immersed in the music of the Beach Boys, the Smiths, and the Blue Nile. Sheik attended Brown University, where he spent a year playing in Liz & Lisa, a band whose membership included singer/songwriter Lisa Loeb. After heading out on his own, Sheik eventually inked with Atlantic Records.
His debut single, "Barely Breathing," received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. Later composed music for films and musicals, and won the 2007 Tony Award for Best Original Score and Best Orchestrations for his work on Spring Awakening.