Duncan Sheik

“The success of 'Barely Breathing' was a double-edged sword. It gave me a career, but it also put me in a box for a little while.”

“For me, the most important thing is to be authentic. To write songs that are true to my experience.”

“I'm not interested in being a pop star. I'm interested in being a musician and a composer.”

“I feel like my job is to create a space for the listener to have their own emotional experience.”

“Spring Awakening is a story about the turmoil of adolescence, and the music had to reflect that. It had to be raw and emotional.”

“The thing about theatre is that it's a live experience. It's happening right there in the room with you, and that's a very powerful thing.”

“I'm always trying to push myself creatively, to try new things and not repeat myself.”

“Technology has completely changed the way music is made and consumed. It's both a blessing and a curse.”

“I wanted to write songs that had some depth and complexity, both lyrically and musically.”

“Collaboration is key. When you work with other talented people, you can create something that's bigger than what you could do on your own.”