Duncan Sheik

Duncan Sheik (born November 18, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter, composer, and actor. Sheik is known for his 1996 debut single "Barely Breathing", which earned him a Grammy Award nomination for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. He has composed music for motion pictures and Broadway musicals, winning the 2007 Tony Awards for Best Original Score and Best Orchestrations for his work on the musical Spring Awakening.

Early life

Sheik is a native of Montclair, New Jersey. Following his parents' divorce, he split time between his father's house in New Jersey and his mother's home in South Carolina.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He is the half-brother of Broadway actress Kacie Sheik.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Sheik's Juilliard-trained grandmother introduced him to the piano, and he later took up the electric guitar. By age 12, he was playing guitar with high school students in a cover band.<ref name="latimes.com">Template:Cite web</ref> After graduating from Phillips Academy, Andover in 1988,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Sheik studied semiotics at Brown University;<ref>Loveline, September 8, 1996.</ref> while at Brown, he played guitar in a band with fellow Brown student Lisa Loeb. Following his graduation from Brown in 1992, he moved to Los Angeles.<ref name="latimes.com"/>

Career

Early in his musical career, Sheik played guitar for other artists, including Liz and Lisa (with Elizabeth Mitchell and Lisa Loeb). Sheik also played on His Boy Elroy's 1993 album through his connections from a fellow Brown alum, Tracee Ellis Ross.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Singer-songwriter

In 1996, Sheik released his self-titled debut album, which was certified gold.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The album featured the hit single "Barely Breathing", which peaked at number 16<ref name="billboard.com">Template:Cite magazine</ref> and remained on the Billboard Hot 100 for 55 consecutive weeks.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> "Barely Breathing" also enjoyed Top 20 success on Adult Contemporary radio,<ref name="billboard.com"/> reached No. 2 on the Adult Top 40 charts,<ref name="billboard.com"/> and garnered Sheik a Grammy Award nomination for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 1998, Sheik recorded "Embraceable You" for Red Hot + Rhapsody, a George Gershwin tribute to increase AIDS awareness, and also recorded "Songbird" for another tribute, Legacy: A Tribute to Fleetwood Mac's Rumours.Template:Citation needed Also in 1998, Sheik released Humming, an experimental follow-up with string arrangements.Template:Citation needed

Sheik sang a duet with singer Howard Jones on Jones' 2000 single entitled Someone You Need.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Sheik released Phantom Moon, a Nick Drake-influenced album on which he collaborated with poet and writer Steven Sater, in 2001.Template:Citation needed The following year, Sheik released Daylight, a brighter, more modern-sounding album which included the singles, "On A High" and "Half-Life".Template:Citation needed After a four-year recording break, Sheik released White Limousine (2006), an album which included companion software on a DVD-ROM to remix individual tracks.Template:Citation needed In 2008, Sheik was a judge at the 7th annual Independent Music Awards.Template:Citation needed

In 2009 he released Whisper House, a concept album which provided the score for the musical of the same name.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The stage musical premiered at The Old Globe Theatre in San Diego in January 2010, after a workshop at Vassar College, produced by New York Stage and Film in 2009.<ref>Jones, Kenneth (May 3, 2009). "Old Globe Will Premiere Duncan Sheik's Whisper House and Bricusse's Sammy Davis Jr. Musical". Playbill.</ref><ref name="whisper">Rothstein, Mervyn (January 20, 2010). "A Ghostly Awakening: Duncan Sheik's Whisper House". Playbill.</ref>

In 2011, Sheik released Covers 80's, an album including covers of popular 1980s songs. Concert dates in support of the album were later canceled due to Sheik seeking treatment for alcohol addiction.<ref name="auto">Template:Cite news</ref> A remixed version of the album was released the following year.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Sheik released a new studio album entitled Legerdemain in October 2015.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Composer

In addition to being a singer-songwriter, Sheik has also composed music for plays, musicals, and movie soundtracks. He composed original music for the 2002 New York Shakespeare Festival production of Twelfth Night.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In 2004, he composed the score for the film A Home at the End of the World. The AllMusic reviewer wrote: "...takes the sensitivity and tension of the film's plot and crafts incidental music and new songs that complement the movie well."<ref>Theakston, Rob. "A Home at the End of the World Original Soundtrack" allmusic.com, retrieved July 24, 2019</ref> He composed the score for the 2005 film Through the Fire with Pete Miser.<ref>Catsoulis, Jeanette. "Review. Through the Fire. The Golden Road to a Basketball Dream" The New York Times, February 10, 2006</ref><ref>Scheib, Ronnie (July 14, 2005). "Review. Through the Fire". Variety.</ref>

Sheik wrote the music for Spring Awakening (2006) in collaboration with Steven Sater. Written over a period of eight years, the musical, which premiered off-Broadway during the summer, opened on Broadway to critical acclaim later in the fall. The musical was based on the controversial German expressionist play The Awakening of Spring, written by Frank Wedekind. Sheik won the 2006 Tony Award for Best Orchestrations for his work on Spring Awakening,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and he and Sater won a Tony Award for Best Original Score.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In addition, Spring Awakening won the Tony Award for Best Musical<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and a Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The guitar that Sheik used to compose songs for Spring Awakening was displayed at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> As of 2012, Sheik was composing music for a feature-film adaptation of Spring Awakening, an adaptation almost a decade in the making.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2012, Sheik wrote Alice By Heart, an adaptation of Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, along with collaborator Sater. Directed by Jessie Nelson with musical direction by Lance Horne, the musical was workshopped at the Royal National Theatre and commissioned by the National Theatre Connections.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Sheik wrote the music and lyrics to the 2013 musical adaptation of American Psycho,<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> which opened at the Almeida Theatre in London, and was later staged on Broadway in 2016.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2013, Sheik wrote the music for the musical adaptation of the novel Because of Winn-Dixie, which premiered at the Arkansas Repertory Theatre.<ref name="dog">Template:Cite web</ref> Dixie was a collaboration with then-director John Tartaglia and Nell Benjamin, who wrote the book and lyrics.<ref name="dog" /> The musical ran at the Goodspeed Opera House, East Haddam, Connecticut from July 2019 to September 2019, directed by John Rando.<ref>Verini, Bob (July 22, 2019). "From Connecticut: Because of Winn Dixie is Not Arf Bad". New York Stage Review.</ref>

In 2015, Sheik wrote the musical thriller Noir with Kyle Jarrow. It premiered as part of New York Stage and Film's season in July to August 2015 at the Powerhouse Theater at Vassar College. Inspired by live radio plays and classic film noir, the musical was directed by Rachel Chavkin.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Viagas, Robert (July 6, 2015). "NAMT Flash: Busy Duncan Sheik Has Another New Musical in the Pipeline". Playbill.</ref>

In 2016 he prepared the music for the Shakespeare Theatre Company (Washington, D.C.) production of The Taming of the Shrew, described in The Washington Post as "an assortment of preexisting songs by singer-songwriter Duncan Sheik".<ref name="marks">Marks, Peter (May 25, 2016). "Shakespeare Theatre Company’s ‘Shrew’: An all-male muddle". Washington Post.</ref>

Other work

Sheik produced singer-songwriter Micah Green's 2000 debut album<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Better source needed as well as his 2012 follow-up.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Farber, Jim (September 2, 2012). "The top 10 CD picks for the week of Sept. 2, 2012". New York Daily News.</ref><ref>"Micah Green Biography" last.fm. Retrieved July 24, 2019.</ref>Template:Better source needed

In 2000, Sheik wrote the foreword to The Way of Youth: Buddhist Common Sense for Handling Life's Questions, by Soka Gakkai International leader Daisaku Ikeda.Template:Citation needed

In 2006, Sheik recorded the song "A Purple Trail" for Other Songs and Dances, Vol. 1. In 2008, Sheik participated in Songs for Tibet: The Art of Peace, an initiative to support Tibet, Dalai Lama, and Tenzin Gyatso.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Personal life

Concert dates in support of Sheik's 2011 album Covers 80's were canceled when Sheik sought treatment for alcohol use disorder.<ref name="auto"/> In a message to fans on his tumblr blog, Sheik noted that he had entered a treatment center on the same day his latest album was released and had told his staff, "My record is coming out and I’m checking in."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Sheik has a daughter with his girlfriend, model Nora Ariffin.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="herworld">Template:Cite news</ref>

Sheik practices Nichiren Buddhism and is a member of the US branch of the worldwide Buddhist association Soka Gakkai International.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Awards and nominations

Year	Awards	Work	Category	Result
1997	Billboard Music Awards	Himself	Top Adult Top 40 Artist	Template:Nom
		"Barely Breathing"	Top Adult Top 40 Track	Template:Won
1998	Grammy Awards		Best Male Pop Vocal Performance	Template:Nom
1999	BMI Pop Awards		Award-Winning Song	Template:Won
2007	Tony Awards	Spring Awakening	Best Original Score	Template:Won
			Best Orchestrations	Template:Won
	Drama Desk Awards		Outstanding Music	Template:Won
			Outstanding Orchestrations	Template:Nom
	Outer Critics Circle Award		Outstanding New Score	Template:Won
2008	Grammy Awards		Best Musical Show Album	Template:Won
2016	Outer Critics Circle Award	American Psycho	Outstanding New Score	Template:Nom
2020		The Secret Life of Bees		Template:Honored
			Outstanding Orchestrations	Template:Honored Discography Albums Studio albums Year Album details Peak chart positions Certifications (sales threshold) US <ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> US Heat <ref name="allmusic">Template:Cite web</ref> 1996 Duncan Sheik Release date: May 20, 1996 Label: Atlantic, Rhino Formats: CD, cassette, digital download, streaming 83 1 US: Gold<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 1998 Humming Release date: October 6, 1998 Label: Atlantic, Rhino Formats: CD, cassette, digital download, streaming 163 — 2001 Phantom Moon Release date: February 27, 2001 Label: Nonesuch Formats: CD, cassette, digital download, streaming — — 2002 Daylight Release date: August 22, 2002 Label: Atlantic, Rhino Formats: CD, cassette, digital download, streaming 110 — 2006 White Limousine Release date: January 26, 2006 Label: Zoë Formats: CD+DVD, digital download, streaming — — 2009 Whisper House Release date: January 27, 2009 Label: RCA Victor, Sony BMG, Masterworks Broadway Formats: LP, CD, digital download, streaming 181 — 2011 Covers 80s Release date: June 7, 2011 Label: Sneaky Formats: CD, digital download, streaming — — 2015 Legerdemain Release date: October 9, 2015 Label: Sneaky Formats: CD, digital download, streaming — — 2022 Claptrap Release date: August 26, 2022 Label: AntiFragile Formats: Digital download, streaming — — "—" denotes releases that did not chart Live albums Year Album details 2020 Live at the Cafe Carlyle (New York, NY / 2017) Release date: December 4, 2020 Label: Sneaky, Missing Pieces Formats: Digital download, streaming Remix albums Year Album details 2012 Covers 80s Remixed Release date: November 6, 2012 Label: Sneaky Formats: CD, digital download, streaming Compilation albums Year Album details 2006 Brighter/Later: A Duncan Sheik Anthology Release date: October 23, 2006 Label: Rhino Formats: 2xCD, digital download, streaming 2007 Greatest Hits - Brighter: A Duncan Sheik Collection Release date: March 6, 2007 Label: Rhino Formats: CD, digital download, streaming Extended plays Year Album details 2005 Rhino Hi-Five: Duncan Sheik Release date: September 20, 2005 Label: Rhino, Warner Strategic Marketing Formats: Digital download, streaming 2011 Harvest (Music from the Motion Picture) Template:Small Release date: May 3, 2011 Label: Harvest Film Formats: Digital download, streaming Singles Year Single Peak chart positions Album CAN <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> US <ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> US AC <ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> US Adult <ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> US Dance <ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> US Pop <ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> 1996 "Barely Breathing" 12 16 19 2 — 10 Duncan Sheik 1997 "She Runs Away" — — — 24 — — "Reasons for Living" — — — — 3 — "Wishful Thinking" — 103 — — — — Great Expectations (soundtrack) 1998 "Bite Your Tongue" — — — — — — Humming 1999 "That Says It All" — — — — — — 2001 "A Mirror in the Heart" — — — — — — Phantom Moon 2002 "On a High" — — — 21 1 — Daylight "Half-Life" — — — — — — 2005 "White Limousine" — — — — — — White Limousine "The Dawn's Request" — — — — — — 2008 "We're Here to Tell You" — — — — — — Whisper House 2009 "Earthbound Starlight" — — — — — — "Play Your Part" — — — — — — 2012 "Shout" — — — — — — Covers Eighties Remixed 2013 "Lay Down Your Weapons" — — — — — — style="text-align:left;" rowspan="3" Template:Non-album single 2020 "Barely Breathing 2020 'Dear 45'" — — — — — — 2021 "Better Things For Better Living" Template:Small — — — — — — 2022 "Experience" — — — — — — Claptrap "Maybe" — — — — — — "Something Happening Here" — — — — — — "Chimera II" Template:Small — — — — — — "There's No Telling" — — — — — — "—" denotes releases that did not chart Stage credits Twelfth Night – 2002 Nero (Another Golden Rome) – 2006 (San Francisco)<ref name="play1">Hetrick, Adam (November 15, 2007). "Sater and Sheik's The Nightingale Tries Its Wings in NYC with Chorus Line's Tam". Playbill.</ref><ref>Harvey, Dennis (February 26, 2006). "Review. Nero (Another Golden Rome). Variety.</ref> Spring Awakening – 2006 The Nightingale – 2003, 2005 (workshop) 2006 (based on The Nightingale)<ref name=play1/> Whisper House – 2010 (Old Globe Theatre, San Diego)<ref name=whisper/> Carson McCullers Talks About Love (with Suzanne Vega) — 2011 (Off-Broadway)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Hetrick, Adam (April 20, 2011). "Suzanne Vega Debuts Carson McCullers Talks About Love Off-Broadway April 20". Playbill.</ref> Alice by Heart – 2012 American Psycho — 2013<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Taming of the Shrew — 2016 (Washington, DC)<ref name=marks/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Secret Life of Bees — 2019 (Atlantic Theater Company, New York), 2023 (Almeida Theatre, London) Film and television credits 1996 "Barely Breathing", Party of Five "Reasons for Living", ER 1997 "In the Absence of Sun", The Saint "Serena", Fall 1998 Beverly Hills 90210, onscreen, uncredited, episode "The Morning After" "Wishful Thinking", Great Expectations 1999 "Alibi", Teaching Mrs. Tingle "That Says It All", Three to Tango 2000 "View from the Other Side", Friends "A Body Goes Down", Jeff Buckley: Goodbye and Hello "Now or Never", Boys and Girls 2002 "On a High", Birds of Prey 2003 "Half Life", What a Girl Wants "Beyond the Sea" (performed as Bobby Darin), American Dreams 2004 "Something Somewhere"/"There's a Home", A Home at the End of the World 2005 "I Am a Pilgrim", Transamerica 2007 "Barely Breathing", Cold Case "I Wouldn't Mind"/"As Shadows Do", The Cake Eaters 2010 "Mama Who Bore Me", 90210 2012 "Barely Breathing", Glee "Barely Breathing", Girls See also List of number-one dance hits (United States) List of artists who reached number one on the US Dance chart References External links Template:Official website Template:IBDB name Template:IMDb name Duncan Sheik at Rounder Records