Gotye

Wouter Andre "Wally" De Backer, better known by his stage name Gotye, is an indie/alternative rock singer song-writer best known for his #1 hit "Somebody That I Used to Know" though other songs of his have charted such as "Eyes Wide Open" which got to #96 on the Hot 100 and "Hearts A Mess" charted #8 on Triple J Hot 100 of 2006. His singing style has been compared to Sting and Peter Gabriel.

Gotye provides examples of the following tropes:

• Alternative Rock
• Animated Music Video: "Hearts A Mess", "Learnalilgivinanovin", "Bronte", "Thanks for Your Time", "Eyes Wide Open" and "Seven Hours With A Backseat Driver".
• Break Up Song: "Somebody That I Used to Know"
• Cover Version: While Gotye himself hasn't covered anything, "Somebody That I Used to Know" has been covered by, among others, Miley Cyrus, Nate Ruess of Fun. with Hayley Williams, Matt Bomer of White Collar, Phillip Phillips of American Idol, Walk Off The Earth and Glee.
• Crossover: With Kimbra in "Somebody That I Used to Know"
• Exact Words: On his about page:

Could this be THE BEST THING you've ever discovered? Well, it certainly sounds like it when words like that are thrown around
That
There. I did it again.

• Melismatic Vocals: Sometimes.
• Neoclassical Punk Zydeco Rockabilly: Elements of Reggae, Jazz, Rock, Worldbeat and Latin are all over his music.
• Non-Appearing Title: "Bronte" and "Like Drawing Blood".
• Post Modernism: "State of the Art" is a song about making a song on the Lowrey Cotillion, a 70's home organ^[1]. Details are lovingly told.
• Retraux: "Somebody That I Used to Know"
• "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Kimbra delivers one in "Somebody That I Used to Know."
• Sampling: His favorite way of making music.
• Self-Backing Vocalist: All the time.
• Title Track: "Like Drawing Blood" and "Making Mirrors".

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That was the end of the story!

1. ↑ "Planet Gear: Gotye on the Lowrey Cotillion organ and Making Mirrors", Drowned in Sound