Who is Gotye?
Gotye is the stage name of Belgian-born Australian musician Wouter Wally De Backer, best known for the 2011 song Somebody That I Used to Know, featuring New Zealand singer Kimbra, a worldwide number one.
De Backer was born in Bruges, Belgium, in 1980 and moved to Australia as a child, growing up in Melbourne. His stage name comes from Gauthier, the French form of Walter, his name in Flemish.
Somebody That I Used to Know, from the album Making Mirrors, topped the charts in more than 20 countries, including eight weeks at number one in the United States. Its music video, with the singers covered in body paint, became a viral hit.
Awards
In 2013, the song won Grammy Awards for Record of the Year and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, and Making Mirrors won Best Alternative Music Album.
Gotye is also a member of the Melbourne band The Basics.
He has worked on preserving electronic music pioneer Jean-Jacques Perrey's work.
Did You Know?
Somebody That I Used to Know uses a sample of Seville, a 1967 track by Brazilian guitarist Luiz Bonfa.