Live from the Kimmel Center Plaza and
Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts

This Month, XPN Free At Noon is On The Road
Live from the Kimmel Center Plaza and PIFA

This week's free at noon performance features the renowned Duncan Sheik, a multiple award winning singer-songwriter and Broadway composer, who from the start of his career was a top Billboard charter. After releasing his self-titled debut album in 1996 on Atlantic Records, his smashing single "Barely Breathing" brought Sheik into the songwriting spotlight and the album was certified Gold. Despite his incredibly strong start, Sheik continued to take each of his subsequent albums to new territories of sound, content and structure. Expanding from pop elements to orchestral arrangements and important social concerns, his sound exponentially matured with time. So while Shiek's occasional returns to pop territory brought him back into mainstream popularity, his additional projects as a composer exposed his talent for putting together elaborate works.

While continuing to produce albums, Sheik also forayed into the world of Broadway plays. Teaming up with Stephen Sater, he composed music for the Grammy and Tony award winning musical Spring Awakening, for which he won awards for Best Orchestration and Best Original Score. His success as a composer lives on, but to many fans, the announcement of his upcoming release comes as a pleasant surprise. Following 2009's Whisper House, his sixth full length album to date, he plans on releasing an album full of synth-pop 80's covers. Due for release on June 7, the album is aptly called Covers 80's and explores takes on classic tunes from Depeche Mode, New Order, The Cure and more. Featuring some additions from folk vocal sweethearts Rachael Yamagata and Holly Brook, the covers are undeniable Sheik and personal.

Duncan's new album, Covers 80's will be out in June. He'll play a full show at World Cafe Live in Philly on June 12.