Wally de Backer, the Belgian-born Australian musician known as Gotye, has kept a low profile since his 2011 global breakthrough "Somebody That I Used to Know" while continuing to record new music with his band The Basics and operating a nonprofit dedicated to preserving early electronic musical instruments.
De Backer, 45, recently reunited with The Basics bandmates Tim Heath and Kris Schroeder in New York City to record a batch of new songs, according to a May 29, 2025, report in Rolling Stone Australia. The first release from those sessions was the politically charged track "Законопослушный гражданин (Don't Be Deceived)," sung in English and Russian.
De Backer has since relocated from New York to the south of France with his family.
The band, formed more than 20 years ago, has released five studio albums, including the most recent, "B.A.S.I.C.," in 2019.
Philip Mortlock, co-founder of ORiGiN, which represents de Backer and The Basics, said the members "have consistently found ways to come together and collaborate despite their separate lives and activities."
"Somebody That I Used to Know," featuring New Zealand singer Kimbra, became one of the decade's biggest hits after its initial release in Australia in July 2011. It reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States in April 2012 and spent eight weeks atop the chart, according to Billboard data.
The song sold more than 14 million units in the U.S. alone, earning 14-times platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America. Globally, it sold more than 13 million copies and was the best-selling digital single of 2012.
The track earned de Backer three Grammy Awards at the 55th annual ceremony in February 2013. It won record of the year, best pop duo/group performance and, for the album "Making Mirrors" on which it appeared, best alternative music album, The Hollywood Reporter reported at the time. The music video, known for its distinctive body-paint animation, has amassed nearly 2.5 billion views on YouTube.
De Backer largely stepped away from solo work under the Gotye name after the album's success. He co-founded the independent label Spirit Level in Melbourne in 2014 with collaborator Tim Shiel. The label focuses on developing unique creative voices and has released experimental pop and other acts.
In more recent years, de Backer has channeled much of his energy into Forgotten Futures, a Brooklyn-based nonprofit he founded. The organization collects, restores and preserves rare early electronic musical instruments, researches their inventors and highlights their cultural impact through performances, installations, education programs and a record label imprint. Its current focus includes the rare French proto-synthesizer the Ondioline.
In August 2025, de Backer launched a dedicated website honoring electronic music pioneer Jean-Jacques Perrey through the nonprofit.
The original hit has continued to resonate. In March 2025, rapper Doechii released "Anxiety," which heavily samples and interpolates "Somebody That I Used to Know." The track's music video includes a visual homage to the original clip, though representatives confirmed the body-painted figures were lookalikes, not de Backer or Kimbra.
"Anxiety" sent the Gotye track back to No. 1 on Australia's ARIA chart earlier this year, according to Rolling Stone Australia.
De Backer has not publicly commented on the Doechii release. He has described his approach to music as independent and on his own terms in earlier interviews, though no new solo Gotye album has appeared since "Making Mirrors."
The Basics remain active in recording despite members' separate careers: Heath runs a venue in Castlemaine, Victoria, and Schroeder works as a doctor in Townsville, Queensland. No tour dates have been announced for Gotye as a solo act.
De Backer's path reflects a deliberate choice to prioritize collaborative and archival work over solo stardom after the unprecedented success of one song. "Somebody That I Used to Know" remains one of the best-selling digital singles of all time and continues to generate new interest through sampling and streaming.
Read more: Top 10 One-Hit Wonders of All Time
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