Duncan Sheik has been hospitalized and remains in “critical but stable condition,” his family said in a statement posted to the singer’s Instagram account on September 16. No details about his illness or the circumstances leading to his hospitalization were disclosed.

“Out of respect for Duncan and our family, we will not be sharing any further medical details at this time,” the statement said. “We kindly ask for privacy during this incredibly difficult time and will provide updates when appropriate.”

The family also thanked fans for their “continued love and support.” For now, that is the full medical bulletin, despite the internet’s usual determination to turn limited information into amateur diagnosis.

How Duncan Sheik became a pop star

Sheik, 56, rose to prominence in 1996 with “Barely Breathing,” the best-known single from his self-titled debut album. The song earned him a nomination for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance at the 1998 Grammy Awards.

He did not win that category. The award went to Elton John for “Candle in the Wind 1997,” a fairly substantial obstacle in any awards race.

Sheik later found major success away from mainstream pop, building a career as a composer for musical theater. His breakthrough on Broadway came with Spring Awakening, for which he wrote the music. The original Broadway production starred Lea Michele and Jonathan Groff.

The show brought Sheik a Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album in 2008. It also established him as a significant figure in contemporary theater rather than simply the musician responsible for one durable 1990s radio hit.

His career moved from touring to theater

Sheik continued composing for the stage after Spring Awakening. His credits include music for theatrical adaptations of American Psycho and The Secret Life of Bees.

In a 2017 interview with Hartford Stage, he spoke about the advantages of working in theater after years as a recording and touring musician. Sheik said he had never reached the point as a touring artist where he could afford “the extra trucks full of stuff” that accompany larger productions.

Theater offered the chance to hear his work with all the production elements in place. It also allowed him to sit among the audience and experience the music rather than always being the person performing it, which he described as “great fun.”

He did not abandon recording, however. Sheik released Claptrap, his ninth studio album, in 2022, continuing a recording career that had begun more than 25 years earlier.

Speaking to Local Life SC in 2017, Sheik said his work was tied to a search for “a deeper happiness” based on creating value, moving other people and participating in a community.

“I’ve been writing and making music since I was 6 years old,” he said. “I want to make music that moves peoples’ hearts and transports them to some kind of mysterious, enigmatic, beautiful, amazing place.”

His family has not said when another update on his condition may be released.