There was some big news for music industry newcomer Djo this week, as his song “End Of Beginning” made its first appearance in the top 10 of Spotify’s US chart after a 27% increase in streams, landing at No. 7. Thanks to his newfound popularity, listeners may be wondering just who the musician — who has been releasing music since 2019 — really is… and could be surprised to learn his true identity. Djo is the stage name of actor Joe Keery, who is perhaps best known for his role as bully-turned-hero Steve Harrington of Netflix’s nostalgic sci-fi series Stranger Things.
Djo (Joe Keery)'s "End of Beginning" enters the top 10 on the US Spotify chart for the first time ever at #7 with 1.187 million streams, up 27%. pic.twitter.com/nVQ9fVybaX
— chart data (@chartdata) February 21, 2024
Keery has released a number of other singles through the years, including “Keep Your Head Up,” “Change,” and “Gloom,” as well as a 2022 album called Decide, from which “End Of Beginning” became a breakout track. The album has been compared to works from the likes of Tame Impala and Daft Punk, and Keery was rumored last year to have even recorded with Taylor Swift.
However, as Djo explained during an interview on The Tonight Show, the rumor may have been the result of a misunderstanding. “I was [at the studio] with John [Rooney], minding my own business, not doing anything,” he said. “And then I walked out the door, and it was like 1,000 people were standing out there. People looked at me expecting Taylor [Swift] and were like, ‘Who’s this guy?’” Still, the Stranger Things team mom wasn’t against working with Swift in the future, saying “Maybe that experience generated something in the universe, but I don’t know. We’ll see.”