The female performer on "Somebody I Used To Know" is NZ singer Kimbra. An example of her work, "Settle Down": [link]
Come on out, River. The nice man wants to kidnap you.
Simon ,'Objects In Space'
Buffista Music 4: Needs More Cowbell!
There's a lady plays her fav'rite records/On the jukebox ev'ry day/All day long she plays the same old songs/And she believes the things that they say/She sings along with all the saddest songs/And she believes the stories are real/She lets the music dictate the way that she feels.
billytea - Apr 18, 2012 12:22:34 pm PDT #5012 of 6436
You were a wrong baby who grew up wrong. The wrong kind of wrong. It's better you hear it from a friend.
Sean K - Apr 18, 2012 12:23:22 pm PDT #5013 of 6436
You can't leave me to my own devices; my devices are Nap and Eat. -Zenkitty
Also, in watching the video, they kinda sorta have similar mouths. Like, there's a bit of a sneer-like curl to the upper lip, and a wide, open mouth when singing out. Mouth shape has a big effect on vocal sound. Whenever singers sound alike in any way, I'm always curious how similar their mouth shapes are when they sing.
I also suspect Gotye and Sting breathe in a similar way when belting. They keys to impersonating other singers are mouth shape, how you breathe the song, and where in your throat, chest and mouth cavity you're resonating.
Sean K - Apr 18, 2012 12:24:49 pm PDT #5014 of 6436
You can't leave me to my own devices; my devices are Nap and Eat. -Zenkitty
bt, I just watched that Kimbra video following a link from the YouTube End-Clip-Mural and really enjoyed it. I was wondering where she was from.
Jon B. - Apr 18, 2012 12:36:11 pm PDT #5015 of 6436
A turkey in every toilet -- only in America!
Gotye also kicks ass at a pub trivia night: [link]
Sean K - Apr 18, 2012 2:07:50 pm PDT #5016 of 6436
You can't leave me to my own devices; my devices are Nap and Eat. -Zenkitty
I love that her voice in the song exists primarily to destroy the romanticism of his memories. I also love that the second time he sings "but you didn't have to cut me off," he's interrupting her to shut out her accusations.
smonster - Apr 18, 2012 2:38:18 pm PDT #5017 of 6436
We won’t stop until everyone is gay.
I am also on the love trains for Gotye and Kimbra. They toured together a bit here in the States in the last few weeks, and she was at SXSW.
Jesse - Apr 18, 2012 3:01:03 pm PDT #5018 of 6436
Sometimes I trip on how happy we could be.
Is it wrong that I think I like the Glee version of "Somebody That I Used to Know" better than the Gotye version?
le nubian - Apr 18, 2012 4:10:26 pm PDT #5019 of 6436
"And to be clear, I am the hell. And the high water."
I like the harmonies better with the Glee version.
Sean K - Apr 18, 2012 7:35:24 pm PDT #5020 of 6436
You can't leave me to my own devices; my devices are Nap and Eat. -Zenkitty
I watched a bunch of Kimbra videos because of you, bt, and I'm quite taken with her. She likes to live multitrack with herself. That's cool.
billytea - Apr 18, 2012 7:48:03 pm PDT #5021 of 6436
You were a wrong baby who grew up wrong. The wrong kind of wrong. It's better you hear it from a friend.
I watched a bunch of Kimbra videos because of you, bt, and I'm quite taken with her. She likes to live multitrack with herself. That's cool.
I am eminently comfortable taking credit for your Kimbra-related viewing habits.