Canberra
Australian singer-songwriter Gotye has created Australian music history at the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, winning three awards, including for Best Record for his hit song Somebody That I Used to Know featuring Kimbra.
Gotye, real name Wouter (Wally) De Backer, is the first Australian to win multiple Grammys for the same release and only the second to win Best Record after Olivia Newton-John with ‘I Honestly Love You' in 1975.
His album Making Mirrors took home the award for Best Alternative Music Album, while single Somebody That I Used to Know featuring Kimbra, won Best Record and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.
After taking Australia by storm in 2011, the Federal Government provided Gotye with a $10,000 Australia Council grant to showcase his talents at the CMJ Music Marathon in New York.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Arts Minister Simon Crean congratulated Gotye on his Grammy wins, as recognition of the overwhelming success and popularity of his winning single and album.
Gotye is an outstanding example of the quality of the artistic talent in Australia today and highlights the need for continued investment in young artists and musicians.
In recent years he has achieved much-deserved global recognition for his work, with Somebody That I Used to Know going platinum in Australia and the US, and achieving number one status in more than 18 countries.
At home he was recognised with six ARIA Awards in 2011.
Gotye will land in Canberra on Friday to join Minister Crean and officially open the Fractured Heart interactive sculpture at the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia.
The event brings together school students to discuss film and music in a virtual roundtable using high-speed broadband.
Gotye will also launch Fractured Heart which he created with arts collective illuminart for his 2011 ARIA Awards performance of Somebody That I Used to Know.
Fractured Heartis on long-term loan to the National Film and Sound Archive.
For more information visit: http://www.nfsa.gov.au/whats-on/gotye-at-nfsa/