‘Somebody That I Used to Know’ is a pop song written, recorded, produced and performed by Belgian-Australian singer-songwriter Gotye – the stage name of Wouter 'Wally' De Backer and featuring New Zealand singer Kimbra.
The song was the second single from Gotye's third studio album, Making Mirrors, released by Eleven Music on 5 July 2011.
‘Somebody That I Used to Know’ was written and recorded by Gotye at his parents' house on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula and draws on his relationship experiences.
The song was a huge commercial hit, topping the charts in Australia, as well as the USA, UK and 23 other national charts.
It topped the year-end US and UK charts as the biggest hit of 2012 and also became the most successful song of the 2010s by an Australian artist in Australia.
‘Somebody That I Used to Know’ was voted number one in the triple j Hottest 100 for 2011. The song also won ARIA Awards for Single of the Year and Best Video, Gotye was named Best Male Artist and Producer of the Year and Kimbra was voted best Female Artist of the Year.
In 2013, the song also won two Grammy Awards for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and Record of the Year.
Cover image: Detail from poster promoting Making Mirrors Australian Tour, 2011. NFSA title: 1526622.
The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia acknowledges Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we work and live and gives respect to their Elders both past and present.