Although you may have never heard of the journalistically described “impossibly cool” Djo, you have undoubtedly seen him fight demogorgans before. Also known as Joe Keery, the Massachusetts-born actor continues to make a measurable impact on the arts — only this time, it is less visual and more audible. He was around 22 years old when he landed the role of Steve Harrington in Stranger Things, one of the most significant projects in Netflix’s history. But before he took to the screen, he was just a kid who felt music intravenously.
Although Keery began making music in the eighth grade, it was not until 2014 that he and his college friends formed their band Post Animal, marking the beginning of his professional career as a guitarist and vocalist. In Chicago, he was a DePaul theatre student by day and a transcendent, novel musician by night, collaborating on the 2018 album When I Think Of You In A Castle.
Unable to tour due to his acting schedule, Keery transitioned to a solo career under the moniker Djo. He released his first single, “Roddy,” in 2019, about unpredictability, the challenges of navigating change, and a new life, all while striving to embrace the future. The track has now impressively accumulated over 110 million streams on Spotify alone. Following this release, he released his debut album, Twenty Twenty, a collection of self-reflective lyrics exploring fame, lost anonymity, and newfound success as a young person. The record explores self-discovery and identity expression through psych-rock sounds. Another significant success to come from it was “Chateau,” which amassed over 153 million Spotify streams, surpassing “Roddy.”
Following the success of his debut album, Djo released his second in 2022, titled DECIDE. This time, he captured the nuances of growing up and navigating change in a social media-centered, technologically evolving society. No one, let alone Keery himself, could have predicted the sheer magnitude of listeners that this record would reach. His track, “End of Beginning,” has surpassed 2 billion streams worldwide, exceeding expectations. The nearly 3-minute piece encapsulates Keery’s personal growth as he lets go of an older version of himself, alluding to his time as a Chicago student.
Best described as psychedelic, his works reflect a hint of 1960s, ‘70s, and ‘80s nostalgia, as if produced by the Beatles. His life philosophy aligns with the band’s renowned track “All You Need Is Love,” a reminder to seek connection amid superficiality in a fame and money-driven industry. One central belief of his is that you are what you love, the core message behind his third and most recent album, The Crux. Released this past April, it also features a song about friendship, finding peace, and escaping pressures in the backyard of Stranger Things co-star Charlie Heaton, titled “Charlie’s Garden.”
Beneath the surface, Keery is deeply inspired by love and driven by his four sisters and musical curators, Caroline, Emma, Kate, and Lizzy. Often described by friends and colleagues as caring, collaborative, and inspiring, he is unstoppable in his creativity. Grounded despite every reason not to be, he emphasizes that life is short, so you must be grateful.
After listening to Djo for a few years, I have grown deeply familiar with his sound, often finding myself resonating with his lyrics about life’s uncertainties and the purpose that drives us. From his most recent album, I find myself most connected to “Lonesome Is A State Of Mind.” The 4-minute track is a beautiful, unexpectedly comforting tune about disconnection, yearning, and disillusionment amid life’s repetition. The verse “Time, it takes an edge, and grinds it clean, turns a scar into a seam” offers a glimpse into Djo’s poetic writing style, one that comments on time’s ability to heal and transform pain from a wound to a part of who you are.
At 32, Djo is now focusing on extensive touring for the first time, as the release of Stranger Things‘ 5th and final season brings the highly acclaimed, decade-long project to a close. His future shows include dates in Latin America, including Mexico, Argentina, and Colombia. Additionally, he is scheduled to perform at the 2026 Lollapalooza festival in Chicago, the place where it all started. Regardless of his impact on television, Keery has already solidified his influence on music, with each melody a memory frozen in time.