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Biography
No footnotes|date=August 2010cleanup|date=November 2011Infobox musical artist| name = Duncan Sheik| image = Duncan Sheik.jpg| image_size = 180| background = solo_singer| birth_name = Duncan Scott Sheik| Born = Birth date and age|1969|11|18|mf=y Montclair, New Jersey , U.S.| instrument = Guitar, piano, voice, electronics| genre = Rock music|Rock , Pop music|pop , alternative rock , acoustic rock | occupation = Singer-songwriter, composer| years_active = 1993present| label = Atlantic Records Nonesuch Records Elektra Records Zoλ Records Rounder Records Universal Records Rhino Entertainment | website = http://www.duncansheik.com Official website
Awards
Grammy Awards
2008
Best Musical Show Album Spring Awakening
Tony Awards
2007
Best Orchestrations Spring Awakening (musical)
2007
Best Original Score Spring Awakening (musical)
Duncan Scott Sheik (born November 18, 1969) is an United States|American singer-songwriter and composer . Sheik initially found success as a singer, most notably for his 1996 in music|1996 debut single " Barely Breathing ". He later expanded his work to include compositions for motion pictures and the Broadway stage, leading him to involvement in the multiple award-winning musical Spring Awakening (musical)|Spring Awakening . He resides in New York City .
Biography
Early years
Born in Montclair, New Jersey , Sheik's upbringing was split between his grandparents' home in Hilton Head, South Carolina , and his parents' in New Jersey . His grandmother, a graduate of Juilliard, taught him to play the piano and encouraged his musical development. He has a younger brother, Peter, and a younger sister, Kacie, who is a theatre actress. Sheik graduated from the Eaglebrook School before attending Phillips Academy|Phillips Academy, Andover , in 1988. He subsequently studied semiotics at Brown University . Loveline , 1996-09-08. After college, he moved to Daly City , a suburb near San Francisco where he started his music career.
Career
Sheik began his professional career playing for other acts, including Liz and Lisa (with Lisa Loeb and Elizabeth Mitchell (musician)|Elizabeth Mitchell ), and played on His Boy Elroy 's 1993 album. Through connections from fellow Brown alum Tracee Ellis Ross .
His 1996 eponymous|self-titled Duncan Sheik (album)|debut album for Atlantic was certified Gold and spawned the #16 hit single " Barely Breathing " in the United States , which remained on the Billboard Hot 100 for a record-setting 55 straight weeks during 1997-98. It also enjoyed lengthy stays on Billboard's Adult Contemporary and Adult Top 40 charts where it reached #2. In early 1998, Duncan was nominated for a Grammy Award in the Best Male Pop Vocal Performance category for "Barely Breathing" but lost to Elton John 's " Candle In The Wind 1997|Candle In The Wind ".
A Laity|lay Buddhist , Sheik's involvement with Soka Gakkai has increased steadily over the years. In 2000, Sheik wrote the foreword to '' The Way of Youth: Buddhist Common Sense for Handling Life's Questions by Soka Gakkai leader Daisaku Ikeda .
In his second album, 1998's Humming (album)|Humming , Sheik experimented in the studio with meticulous string arrangements while keeping the haunted vocal sound of his first album. Additionally, on some tracks Sheik took a step away from his pop roots to address larger social issues.
His next record, 2001's Phantom Moon , was a collaboration with poet and writer Steven Sater , whom Sheik met through his Soka Gakkai involvement. The two collaboratively created the album by drawing inspiration from the each other's simultaneous work, with Sheik sending Sater the music and Sater sending Sheik the lyrics. Citation needed|date=August 2010 In 2002, Sheik made a brief commercial comeback with the album Daylight (Duncan Sheik album)|Daylight , including success with the singles " On A High " and "Half-Life". Eschewing the Nick Drake -like sound of Phantom Moon , Daylight featured a lighter, more modern sound with production effects and electronic backgrounds. Sheik indicated in interviews that the record was an attempt to create an album of pure pop songs. Citation needed|date=August 2010 Sheik composed original music for a New York Shakespeare Festival production of Twelfth Night , which opened July 21, 2002, at the Delacorte Theater .cite news| url= http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html? res=9D02EEDA1631F931A35754C0A9649C8B63& sec=& spon=& partner=permalink& exprod=permalink | work=The New York Times | first=Robin | last=Finn | title=PUBLIC LIVES; Decisions, Decisions. Name Recognition or Nirvana? | date=July 2, 2002
In 2003, he portrayed Bobby Darin in an episode of the television series " American Dreams ". He also composed the score for the 2004 film A Home at the End of the World (film)|A Home at the End of the World , including two original songs. Citation needed|date=August 2010 In 2006, Through the Fire (film)|Through the Fire was released, for which Sheik served as the composer. http://duncansheik.com/projects.html Through The Fire follows the senior high school year of Sebastian Telfair .
His fifth album, White Limousine , was released on January 24, 2006, on the Zoe Records label. The first single released from the album was the title track. Like its predecessor Daylight , subtle electronic influences are a hallmark of Sheik's fifth studio album, as well as many songs that are politically charged. The album is both Sheik's first to be released outside of what is now Warner Music Group , and his first with companion software on a DVD-ROM to remix individual album tracks. Citation needed|date=August 2010 Working continually with Steven Sater , Sheik wrote the music for the Tony award winning musical Spring Awakening (Musical)|Spring Awakening over a period of eight years. The musical, which premiered off-Broadway in New York in May 2006, opened on Broadway to much critical acclaim in December 2006. Spring Awakening is based on the controversial Germany|German expressionism|expressionist play, Spring Awakening (play)|Spring Awakening by Frank Wedekind . Sheik won two Tonys for his work on the musical for Best Orchestration and Best Original Score (Music)and the show won the Tony for Best Musical. The original cast recording album, released in December 2006, received the Grammy Award in 2008 for Best Musical Show Album . The guitar Sheik used to compose songs for Spring Awakening is on display at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center . http://www.broadway.tv/broadway-features-reviews/Hidden-Broadway-Treasures-Revealed www.broadway.tv article, "Broadways Hidden Treasures Revealed".
On January 27, 2009, Sheik released Whisper House , his first new studio album since 2006 and first release under his new deal with RCA Records on their RCA Victor imprint. This marks Sheik's first full length album on a major label since 2002's Daylight . Singer-keyboardist Holly Brook plays a prominent role alongside Sheik on some of the songs. Sheik toured throughout the first half of 2009 in support of the album. http://www.playbill.com/news/article/125003.html Playbill article He was a judge at the 7th annual http://www.independentmusicawards.com/ima_new/imajudges2008.asp Independent Music Awards to support independent artists.
Sheik composed the music for the Musical adaption of American Psycho . http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118014592.html? categoryid=15& cs=1& ref=vertlegit 'American Psycho' musical takes shape Duncan Sheik to write music, Roberto Aguirre to pen adaptation.
Sheik's Facebook page announced March 15, 2011 that he planned to release Covers 80's|a full album of 1980's songs that he has recorded his interpretation of on June 6, 2011.
It was announced that Sater and Sheik wrote an adaption of Lewis Carroll 's '' Alice's Adventures in Wonderland called Alice By Heart'', which is being workshopped at the Royal National Theatre . It was commissioned by the National Theatre Connections . Sater said "It's about how to leave childhood behind and the challenge and struggle in that." The two week workshop will be directed by Jessie Nelson and musical direction by Lance Horne. http://www.playbill.com/news/article/151118-EXCLUSIVE-Steven-Sater-and-Duncan-Sheik-Workshopping-New-Alice-Musical-at-Londons-National-Theatre
Sheik is working on the musical score for a Broadway play based on the book "American Psycho" at his home in upstate New York. http://www.observer.com/Duncan-Sheik-American-Psycho-Maserati. Duncan described the musical as "The American Psycho score is, so far, completely electronic. Prophet 5, Moog, various drum machines. Imagine Depeche Mode as the pit band!" on his Twitter feed on 8/20/11.
Charity
In 1998, Sheik recorded " Embraceable You" for the Red Hot Organization 's compilation album Red Hot + Rhapsody , a tribute to George Gershwin , which raised money for various charities devoted to increasing AIDS awareness and fighting the disease. In 2008 he participated in a Album (Music)|music album called Songs for Tibet , which is an initiative to support Tibet , Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso and to underline the human rights situation in Tibet . The album was issued on August 5 via iTunes and on August 19 in music stores around the world.E-Online (July 22, 2008) http://uk.eonline.com/uberblog/b147502_sting_matthews_mayer_gamer_tibet_beijing.html Sting, Matthews, Mayer Gamer for Tibet Than Beijing
Work
Musicals
Nero (Another Golden Rome) - 2006
Spring Awakening (musical)|Spring Awakening - 2006, 20072009
The Nightingale - 2006 (based on The Nightingale (fairy tale)|The Nightingale )
Whisper House - 2010
American Psycho http://www.playbill.com/news/article/136527-Duncan-Sheik-and-Robert-Aguirre-Sacasa-Will-Make-American-Psycho-Sing - In production
Discography
Studio and compilation albums
Note: All certifications based on current data from RIAA's website: http://www.riaa.com
At the Reservoir (1997, Atlantic Records|Atlantic )
Humming Along (1998, Atlantic Records|Atlantic )
White Limousine EP (2005, Zoe Records|Zoe )
Whisper House EP (2008)
80s Covers 2010 (2010, Sneaky Records Inc.)
''"Duncan Sheik & David Poe: Music from the Motion Picture 'Harvest' " EP (May 3, 2011 via digital platforms)
Singles
Year
Single
Peak chart positions
Album
US cite web
US AC cite web
US Adult cite web
US Dance cite web
US Pop cite web
1997
16
19
2
10
Duncan Sheik
" She Runs Away "
" Reasons for Living "
1998
103
Great Expectations (soundtrack)
Bite Your Tongue "
1999
2001
Phantom Moon
2003
1
Daylight
"Half-Life"
2006
White Limousine
"The Dawn's Request"
2009
Whisper House
"Play Your Part"
"" denotes releases that did not chart
Other recordings
" Wishful Thinking (Duncan Sheik song)|Wishful Thinking " from Great Expectations (1998 film)#Soundtrack|Great Expectations: The Album - Atlantic Records - 1997
"In the Absence of Sun" from The Saint (soundtrack) (CD) - Atlantic Records - 1997
"Songbird" from '' Legacy: A Tribute to Fleetwood Mac's Rumours (CD) - Atlantic Records - 1998
"Embraceable You" from Red Hot + Rhapsody: The Gershwin Groove (CD) - Antilles Records - 1998
"View from the Other Side" from Friends Again (CD) - Warner Bros. Records - 1999
"Now or Never" from Boys and Girls (2000 film)|Boys and Girls : Music from the Dimension Motion Picture (CD) - Ark 21 Records - 2000
"I am a Pilgrim" from Transamerica (soundtrack)|Transamerica: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (CD) - Nettwerk Records - 2005
"A Purple Trail" from Other Songs and Dances, Vol. 1 (CD) - Backlight Records - 2006
"Something Somewhere" & "There's A Home" from " A Home at the End of the World (film)|A Home at the End of the World " (2004).
"There Once Was a Pirate" (bonus track) from Spring Awakening (Original Broadway Cast) (CD) - Universal Music Classical - 2006
Videography
On Stage at World Cafι Live: Duncan Sheik (DVD) - Decca Vision - 2007
Recent and current tours
Sheik toured throughout Europe during the spring of 2010, followed with 15 dates around the United Kingdom later in the year, from September until October 2, 2010. Touring continued into the winter, with three performances in Asia during January and February 2011.
Concert dates in support of '' Covers 80's were announced for cities on the U.S. east and west coasts for late spring and early summer of 2011, but later canceled due to Sheik seeking treatment for alcohol addiction. http://www.observer.com/2011/06/duncan-sheik-cancels-tour-dates-to-deal-with-alcohol-related-addiction/ In an August 24, 2011 message to fans and friends in his tumblr blog, http://dsnews.tumblr.com/post/9345502953/message-song-from-duncan 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 Im checking in ."
See also
List of number-one dance hits (United States)
List of artists who reached number one on the US Dance chart
References
Reflist
External links
http://www.duncansheik.com/ Duncan Sheik official website
IBDB name|448812
IMDb name|790854
http://www.rounder.com/? id=artistHome.php& musicalGroupId=7567 Rounder Records Group artist page on Duncan Sheik
TonyAward OrchestrationsTonyAward MusicalScore 20012025DramaDesk Music 20012025Duncan Sheik Persondata | NAME =Sheik, Duncan | ALTERNATIVE NAMES = | SHORT DESCRIPTION = | DATE OF BIRTH =November 18, 1969 | PLACE OF BIRTH = | DATE OF DEATH = | PLACE OF DEATH = DEFAULTSORT:Sheik, Duncan Category:1969 births Category:Living people Category:American Buddhists Category:American alternative rock musicians Category:American male singers Category:American pop singers Category:American rock musicians Category:Songwriters from New Jersey Category:Atlantic Records artists Category:Brown University alumni Category:Grammy Award winners Category:Members of Soka Gakkai Category:Musicians from New Jersey Category:Musicians from South Carolina Category:People from Montclair, New Jersey Category:People from Beaufort, South Carolina Category:Phillips Academy alumni Category:Tony Award winners
