Smash Hit GOTY for nearly did not happen

It hit that almost was not, a simple song, which became a worldwide hit, but almost disappeared before it was even completed. GOTY in "Somebody That I knew," It started with a spare, nylon stringed guitar riff lifted from "Seville" in the instrumental record by the late Brazilian bossa nova guitarist Luiza Bonfá.

Two notes, looped, became a conversation in my head Wouter "Wally" De Backer, sociable 31-year-old Belgian-Born, Australia-based artist who performs under the name GOTY (pronounced "Gauthier"). "This is a sample directly Bonfá Luiz led the first line of text" GOTY advises burying a thick Australian accent trace their European roots. "Back-and-Continue left me thinking about these different relationship breakups and others over the years, and the words flowed from there."

The Eureka moment came in the fall of 2010, though it would take GOTY next six months to find a singer who gives the track its a knockout blow. In fact, he says that he played with abandon "someone" at the stage of recording, when his (unnamed) the original choice of singer pulled out. But fast forward to the present and "Somebody That I knew" ("N" samples Seconds / Fairfax / Universal Republic) - a rhythmic, slow construction of a duet in which two former lovers, played by GOTY and New Zealand singer Kimbra Johnson, allegations of trade ( "I think of all the times you screwed me over") - is all but inevitable worldwide.

In Australia - where the GOTY was a critical and commercial favorite of his 2006 sophomore album, "how to draw blood," - "Somebody That I knew," was released last summer and held the No. 1 chart position for eight weeks, according to the Australian Recording Industry Association. The song, which combines sparse, shuffling drums, tremolo sounds terrible, corn, and the melody played on a xylophone, has since topped the charts in several countries, including Germany, Belgium, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Denmark, Austria, Ireland and the UK, where he spent five consecutive weeks, not at No. 1 and sold 800,000 pcs, depending on the Official Charts Co.

In the U.S., "Someone" has spent the last 14 weeks climbing the Billboard Hot 100, to reach No. 2 The famous cover of the track on NBC's "The Voice" (April 2) and Fox's "Glee" (April 10) helped to increase sales in the U.S. for 2 million, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

"It's one of those magical albums, where you just step back and do not do it," says Universal Republic co-president/COO Avery Lipman, who first learned about the GOTY when "someone" was released in Australia on an indie label Eleven Music Company (distributed by Universal) and began outselling such universal RP acts as Jessie J and Drake.

"I was like: 'Who the hell is this guy he is before all of us", "Lipman says. Encouraged by the success of the record in the same time in Holland and Belgium, where he was also released independently, has sent an executive VP of A & R Rob Stevenson to Australia with one goal: "break glass in case of emergency: Get this team at all costs," Lipman says.

GOTY credits pathetic combination of voice next to Kimbra's, in conjunction with the song is "anti-pop elements" as the reason for which it is connected on a global scale. "He's very soft, subtle way of building towards the payment of the choir," he says. "I have a feeling that people get lost in it."

He also cites Natasha Pincus This arrest stop-time video animation as "an important point of entry for many people." Clip, which shows the GOTY and Kimbra's naked bodies covered with paint slowly, has been viewed 152.4 million times on YouTube, and global sales, including North America) for "someone" almost total to 4.5 million by the Universal Republic. Now the infamous cover of the Canadian quintet leave the Earth - in which the act (who recently signed to Columbia Records) to play a song by plucking different parts on one guitar - it has 87.6 million views on YouTube and sold 187.000 units, according to SoundScan.

"At first we were like," This is so clever. That's cool, "Lipman says." And then we have seen in Canada [that leave the earth cover] gone [original GOTY is] the iTunes charts and we were like, "It's not as fun anymore." It was a double-edged sword. "Adds Stevenson "It has happened so soon after the original I think it was a lot of confusion to consumers. I do not know, that go on the Earth is not really enough to explain to people that it's not their song. "

The challenge now is to establish a universal Republic GOTY as a major recording star, and more than just the naked Aussie guy who sings that song breakdown. "One danger of having so much success is that the song can exceed all your identity," Lipman said, adding: "The next step is for us to really focus on people GOTY artist."

To this end, the team's GOTY is trying to explain the enormous individual downloadable tracks in equally impressive album sales. When the arc as a digital exclusive on August 16 last years, the third studio album GOTY, "Making Mirrors," won a national physical release on 31 January its first U.S. release supported by the Major. So far, eclectic, sonically ambitious 12-track album, which was largely recorded in a converted studio at his parents' farm GOTY in Mornington Peninsula, Australia, sold 244.000 units, according to SoundScan. This week is No. 15 on the Billboard 200, previously peaked at No. 9 Digital-only deluxe version contains additional video hit U.S. stores April 10.

"I think I'm trying to find a balance between making music, which I think is pop, but it is also quite unique and strange and different," says GOTY "Making Mirrors," which lasted over two years to complete due to his meticulous approach. GOTY dedication to his craft can be heard on the album is rich layers, beguiling mix of sounds, which includes a vintage organ Lowrey Cotillion (bought for $ 100 Australian Salvation Army in the store), The Winton Musical guide (musical fence installation, located in Queensland, Australia ) and multiple "virtual" instruments, the sample carefully note GOTY chromaharp or mbira attention.

His methods are unconventional, but GOTY on music appeals to a broad base. Starting from triple-A and alternative, "Somebody That I knew" quickly went to the top 40 and mainstream formats. "I know people always like to say, it was a domino effect," Stevenson says, "but I've never seen a domino effect go fast".

The Universal Republic next single is yet to be determined, but it will probably be either "Eyes Wide Open", the stadium business, a good number of cuts being like Peter Gabriel's best if the driving rock song "Easy Way Out." Both have already received support in the form of alternative radio earlier and triple A stations, including Los Angeles outlets KYSR and KROQ in WRFF Philadelphia and KFOG San Francisco, according to Lipman. Videos for both songs was not serviced on the Internet, but do not draw a similar response to "somebody". "Eyes Wide Open" has 6.2 million views on YouTube and "Easy Way Out" 1.2 million.

However, Lipman believes that GOTY is ready to extend its breakthrough. Indicates the current artist's sold-out U.S. tour that includes shows that have been adapted to larger facilities at the Civic Auditorium in San Francisco, April 18) and added dates (Los Angeles Nokia Theatre, April 19), as evidence of his rapidly growing fan base. 14-date trek is reserved by Tom Windish at Windish Agency, and wraps April 22 with a performance at Coachella.

TV will also play a major role in building an artist profile. Once in the U.S. TV debut on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" (01 February), GOTY is booked to perform April 14 at "Saturday Night Live." As-yet-unconfirmed television appearances, radio sessions, concerts and promotion will be held during the year, says Lipman, who, remembering the success of his GOTY and international needs of multiple markets, is happy to create the attraction, not a push effect. "There are other acts which I call" strobe light artist ": promotional blast causes dizziness," Lipman says. "It does not fit here. It's just nice, natural, healthy artist truly amazing discovery. Do not have to grind it."

GOTY is equally confident about the face of international fame. "Not every possibility that I will not have another song, which is a crossover anomaly as it was hit," says the singer, who in addition to his solo career is independently released three studio albums as a member of Melbourne, Australia-based indie-pop trio the basics. The team is on a break, says GOTY, which recognizes that certain in which direction it will go ahead.

"I'm not sure how far things will move on with this record and what it will mean to write new material. I guess I just want to switch to the tour," he says hesitantly. "I do not know whether to do more things from scratch, or even make another record until the GOTY probably have the chance to backtrack a little."

He continues: "More than anything, I feel that I want to prove to myself that I can do things, which is actually more far-reaching, more intelligent, and perhaps more strange and perverse.

"If I could quote what I think was the intention of the band Ween in any record that they ever made, it's just that the average listener it:" What is this whore? "It's really an inspiration for me and something I will explore more on future recordings."