How Gotye’s ‘Somebody That I Used to Know’ Defined 2012
Let’s travel back to 2012. Instagram was still new, the iPhone 5 just came out, and suddenly—everywhere you went—you heard that voice: “Now and then I think of when we…
LOS ANGELES, CA – FEBRUARY 10: Singer Gotye, winner of Best Alternative Music Album for “Making Mirrors” and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for “Somebody That I Used to Know,” poses in the press room at the 55th Annual GRAMMY Awards at Staples Center on February 10, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)
Let’s travel back to 2012. Instagram was still new, the iPhone 5 just came out, and suddenly—everywhere you went—you heard that voice: “Now and then I think of when we were together…”
Gotye’s “Somebody That I Used to Know,” featuring Kimbra, wasn’t just another breakup song. It was the breakup song. Quiet. Strange. Catchy. And totally unforgettable. From dorm rooms to dance floors, it echoed everywhere—whether you were freshly heartbroken or just vibing with the xylophone.
Wait, Who Is Gotye?
Wouter “Wally” De Backer, better known as Gotye (pronounced GOH-tee-yay), is a Belgian-Australian musician who had been quietly making music for years. But in 2011, he and New Zealand singer Kimbra recorded “Somebody That I Used to Know,” and everything changed.
It started slow. The song wasn’t even supposed to be a mega-hit. But then? Boom. Radio. YouTube. TikTok’s spiritual ancestor: viral explosion.
Even Gotye was surprised. “It’s been absolutely overwhelming,” he told Billboard in 2013. “I didn’t expect this level of response.”
Chart-Topping and Award-Grabbing
The song topped charts in over 20 countries, including the U.S., where it spent eight weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. It became the best-selling song of 2012 in the U.S. with over 7 million downloads, according to RIAA.
It also won the Grammy for Record of the Year in 2013. Gotye, ever humble, said in his speech: “Thanks to everybody who puts beautiful energy into the world.”
Doechii Brings It Back
In 2024, the song made another big splash—but this time through the voice of a different artist: Doechii. After going viral on TikTok in early 2024, her track “Anxiety”—built on an instrumental version of Somebody That I Used to Know—was officially released on streaming platforms on March 4, 2025.
Originally recorded in her bedroom during peak lockdown in May 2020 as part of her Coven Music Session, Doechii’s version was raw, personal, and full of nervous energy. In the chorus, she sings: “Anxiety / Keep on trying me / I feel it quietly / Tryna silence me.”
The song feels like a journal entry set to a retro beat—a perfect match for fans who love the emotional drama of Gotye’s original.
Doechii's re-release taps into a growing nostalgia for 2012's indie-pop vibes.
In September 2023, a Jamaican rapper named Sleepy Hallow released a song also called “ANXIETY,” which sampled Doechii’s version. Doechii has clarified on TikTok, that the real one to stream is: “Anxiety (Doechii’s Version)”.
The One-Hit Wonder Who Didn’t Chase More
Here’s the twist: Gotye never tried to chase another hit. In fact, he hasn’t released a new album since. Why?
"I’m not interested in selling my music anymore,” he told News Ltd in 2014. “I’d rather make music that matters to me.”
So while other artists chased fame, Gotye stepped back—becoming, in a poetic twist, somebody that we used to know.
A Legacy That Echoes On
From high school playlists to modern remixes, "Somebody That I Used to Know" still finds new life. Artists like Doechii are proving it’s more than just a one-hit wonder from the past—it’s a feeling, a mood, a cultural ripple that refuses to fade.
Whether you're discovering it for the first time or humming it again for the hundredth, one thing’s clear: This song isn’t somebody we used to know.
