Wouter André “Wally” De Backer, best known by his stage name Gotye, is a multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter who is Belgian-Australian. He was born on May 21, 1980. His Dutch given name, Wouter, is pronounced “Gotye,” which is a respelling of “Gauthier,” the French equivalent.
Three studio albums by Gotye have been independently published, along with one album of remixes of songs from his first two albums. He is a founding member of the Melbourne-based indie-pop group The Basics, which was formed in 2002, and has independently published four studio albums as well as a number of additional works. Peter Gabriel and Sting have both been likened to him in terms of voice.
With his 2011 hit “Somebody That I Used to Know,” Gotye had breakthrough success. It peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and became the best-selling song of 2012. He became the second artist born in Belgium and the sixth Australian-based musician to top the charts as a result. (after The Singing Nun in 1963). He has been nominated for an MTV EMA for Best Asia & Pacific Act and has won five ARIA Awards. At the 55th Annual Grammy Awards Show on February 10, 2013, he received three Grammys: Record of the Year, Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for “Somebody That I Used to Know,” and Best Alternative Music Album for Making Mirrors.
