"Barely Breathing" Singer Duncan Sheik Dead at 56 After Cardiac Arrest

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Duncan Sheik will always be on everyone's mind.

One day after the "Barely Breathing" singer's family shared that he was in critical yet stable condition, they confirmed he died on Sept. 17. He was 56.

His mom Suzanne Sheik shared with  The New York Times that his cause of death was cardiac arrest.

"The world has a lost a singular talent, and deeply influential voice in music and theater," read a Sept. 18 statement posted to Sheik's Instagram. "From his Grammy-nominated hit 'Barely Breathing' to his groundbreaking, Tony and Grammy Award-winning work on Spring Awakening, Duncan's artistry touched many and leaves an indelible mark on the cultural landscape."

Sheik rose to fame in 1996 with his hit single, earning a Best Male Pop Vocal Performance nomination. He ultimately won the Best Musical Show Album trophy in 2008 for composing Broadway's Spring Awakening.

He was just as successful in his personal life with longtime love Nora Arffin, with the two welcoming a daughter in 2018.

"Duncan was a father, husband, son, brother, and friend," the statement noted. "He will be remembered for his sensitivity, wit, intelligence, and depth of spirit he brought to those who knew and loved him."

His loved ones expressed gratitude for the support Sheik—who also won two Tony Awards in 2007 for the Lea Michele and Jonathan Groff-led musical—received.

"We are deeply grateful for the outpouring of love from his fans, friends, collaborators, and the artistic community," the message concluded. "His musical legacy will continue to inspire generations to come."

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Earlier, his family confirmed he had been hospitalized but "out of respect for Duncan," they would "not be sharing any further medical details at this time."

Sheik had an expansive career in theater, later making music for stage adaptations of The Secret Life of Bees and American Psycho. But he eventually returned to his roots as a recording artist, releasing his ninth studio album Claptrap in 2022.

"I'm always searching for a deeper happiness that's about creating value, doing something that moves other people and being part of a community," Sheik told Local Life SC in 2017. "That takes work, and I do my best."

"I've been writing and making music since I was 6 years old," he concluded. "So for four decades, that's my craft. I want to make music that moves people's hearts and transports them to some kind of mysterious, enigmatic, beautiful, amazing place."

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