Gotye

In this Dutch name, the surname is De Backer, not Backer.
Gotye
Gotye at the 2012 APRA Music Awards
Gotye at the 2012 APRA Music Awards
Background information
Birth nameWouter André De Backer
Also known asWally De Backer
Born (1980-05-21) 21 May 1980 (age 44)
Bruges, Belgium
OriginMelbourne, Australia
Genres
Occupations
  • Musician
  • singer-songwriter
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • drums
  • percussion
  • keyboards
  • guitar
  • ondioline
Years active2001–present
Labels
Member ofThe Basics
Websitegotye.com

Wouter André "Wally" De Backer (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈʋʌutər ˈɑndreː də ˈbɑkər]; born 21 May 1980), known professionally as Gotye (/ˈɡɒtieɪ/ GOT-ee-ay, French: [ɡotje], Dutch: [ɡoːˈtɕeː]), is a Belgian-born Australian singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. His 2011 single "Somebody That I Used to Know", reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and became the best-selling song of 2012.[2] This made him the fifth Australian-based artist to top the chart and the second born in Belgium (after The Singing Nun in 1963).[3]

He has won five ARIA Awards and received a nomination for an MTV EMA for Best Asia and Pacific Act. On 10 February 2013, he won three Grammy Awards at the 55th Annual Grammy Awards Show: Record of the Year and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for "Somebody That I Used to Know" and Best Alternative Music Album for Making Mirrors. Gotye has said he sometimes feels "less of a musician, more of a tinkerer."[4]

Gotye has released three studio albums independently and one album featuring remixes of tracks from his first two albums. He is a founding member of the Melbourne indie-pop trio The Basics, who have independently released four studio albums and numerous other titles since 2002. His voice has been compared to those of Peter Gabriel and Sting.[5][6][7]

  1. ^ Ankeny, Jason (21 May 1980). "Gotye – Music Biography, Credits and Discography". AllMusic. Retrieved 17 June 2013.
  2. ^ "Hot 100 Songs". Billboard. 2 January 2013. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
  3. ^ "Hot 100 Songs & New Music: 1 – 10 Songs | Billboard Music Charts". Billboard.com. Retrieved 16 September 2012.
  4. ^ "Gotye: 'Less of a Musician, More of a Tinkerer'". NPR.org. Retrieved 1 July 2012.
  5. ^ Pareles, Jon (22 October 2011). "Gotye Fans Turn Out to Sing Along". The New York Times. Retrieved 9 February 2012.
  6. ^ Fuentes, Catherine (30 January 2012). "Song Premiere: Gotye's Eighties-Inspired 'Somebody That I Used To Know'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 9 February 2012.
  7. ^ Thompson, Stephen (22 January 2012). "First Listen: Gotye, 'Making Mirrors'". NPR. Retrieved 9 February 2012.