Duncan Sheik in Critical But Stable Condition, Family Requests Privacy

Duncan Sheik, the singer-songwriter behind the 1996 hit “Barely Breathing” and the Tony-winning composer of Spring Awakening, is in critical but stable condition, according to a statement posted Wednesday on his social media accounts.

“Duncan is currently receiving medical care and remains in critical but stable condition,” the statement read. “Out of respect for Duncan and our family, we will not be sharing any further medical details at this time. We kindly ask for privacy during this incredibly difficult time and will provide updates when appropriate.” The cause of his medical condition has not been made public. A representative for Sheik did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The New Jersey native released his self-titled debut album in 1996. Its single “Barely Breathing” was certified gold, reached Number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100, and remained on the chart for 55 consecutive weeks, earning him a Grammy nomination for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.

Sheik’s later work moved between film scoring and theater. He composed music for the 2004 film A Home at the End of the World and for Spring Awakening, which opened on Broadway in 2006. The production won Sheik and collaborator Steven Sater the Tony Award for Best Original Score, along with Best Orchestrations. He later developed an adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis’s American Psycho for the stage, with a London premiere in 2013 and a Broadway run in 2016.