"Somebody That I Used to Know," released by Belgian-Australian artist featuring New Zealand singer Kimbra in July 2011, is a multi-platinum art-pop single that became a global cultural phenomenon. Written and produced by Gotye at his parents' house in Australia, the song explores the bitter aftermath of a romantic breakup through two opposing perspectives. Composition and Sampling
The track is celebrated for its minimalist yet hypnotic instrumentation, which notably includes:
Lyrically, the song is an "amalgam" of Gotye's past relationship experiences. It captures the frustration of a partner who feels discarded and the counter-perspective of a partner who feels gaslit or suffocated. Gotye - Somebody That I Used To Know (feat. Kimbra)
: The painting symbolizes the shared history of the relationship, with Kimbra eventually "washing clean" of the paint as she breaks away.
The , directed by Natasha Pincus, became as iconic as the song itself. It features: "Somebody That I Used to Know," released by
: The distinctive opening guitar riff is sampled from Luiz Bonf谩's 1967 instrumental "Seville".
: Gotye and Kimbra appear naked and are gradually painted into a geometric background inspired by Gotye's father's artwork. It captures the frustration of a partner who
: The song features a sparse xylophone melody based on the first nine notes of the nursery rhyme "Baa, Baa, Black Sheep".