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Duncan Sheik, ‘Barely Breathing’ singer, dead at 56
By Stephanie Giang-Paunon
Published September 18, 2026
Duncan Sheik, the singer-songwriter behind the hit "Barely Breathing" and the Tony and Grammy-winning musical "Spring Awakening," has died. He was 56.
Sheik died Thursday from organ failure, his mother, Suzanne Sheik, told The New York Times.
Representatives for Sheik did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
Duncan Sheik has died. The singer-songwriter was 56. (Gabriela Maj / Patrick McMullan via Getty Images)
While "Barely Breathing" made Sheik a familiar voice on ’90s radio, Broadway ultimately became a defining chapter of his career.
"With the exception of our director, we are all kind of Broadway outsiders. We wanted to shake things up a bit. And we just set out to make this really cool piece of theater," Sheik told The Associated Press in 2007 of "Spring Awakening."
This is a breaking news story. Please check back for more developments.
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