The song Somebody That I Used to Know reached number one in more than 23 national charts and even topped the charts in 30 other countries worldwide. By the end of 2012, the song became the best-seller, with over 11 million copies sold. But what happened to the artist behind one of the best singles of all time?
After the massive success of “Somebody That I Used to Know,” Gotye stepped out of the limelight and returned to his old band. He still makes music, just not as a solo artist.
Who is Gotye?
Wouter “Wally” De Backer, better known as his stage name Gotye, was born on May 21, 1980, in Bruges, Belgium. He and his family emigrated to Australia at the age of 2. They first resided in Sydney before settling in Melbourne. His mother actually gave him the nickname Gotye based on Gaultier, which is the French of his name.
De Backer displayed interest in music at a young age. He was especially interested in learning the piano and drums. He recalled how much he was obsessed with Depeche Mode’s album Songs of Faith and Devotion in an interview.
I could single-handedly credit that record with wanting me to make records.
Wouter De Backer
By the time he became a teenager, he had started a band with three of his friends. They called the band Downstares. After high school, the band went their separate ways, and De Backer was left without an outlet for music. In 2001, he studied Art at the University of Melbourne. (Source: Apple Music)
Did Gotye Stop Making Music?
The fact of the matter is, De Backer never stopped making music. He just stopped doing so as a solo artist. In 2014, he announced that there would be no more music under his stage name, but he didn’t quite put a period on it.
Wait, maybe there will be, I’m not entirely sure right now. There are many contingencies.
Wouter De Backer
De Backer never explained this decision. However, he did say that he was working on some other projects with his band under an Australian-based record label. While he may have stopped making music as Gotye, De Backer is still quite active in the music industry. He is currently working with his band called The Basics. (Source: Distractify)
More On The Basics
The style of The Basics is quite different from Gotye. They have been producing music consistently for several years. Other members of the band include Kris Schroeder and Tim Heath. The band has also performed internationally, doing a few shows in the US. On Spotify, the group has an average of 40,000 listeners every month. (Source: Distractify)
Where is Gotye Now?
Aside from still making music, De Backer shares a lot of his projects with his Twitter followers. After the death of Jean-Jacques Perrey in 2016, he created the Ondionline Orchestra, which was named after the musical instrument Perrey had created. De Backer started the group with Rob Schwimmer, Joe McGinty, and the members of the alternative band Zammuto.
As of today, it is unclear if he will ever return as a solo artist. But we definitely know is that music is a huge part of his life and career. (Source: Distractify)