Is Joe Keery Really Djo? the Unbelievable Rise of 'End of Beginning' to Global No. 1
Keery never treated music as an actor's side vanity project. Before his breakout screen role, he studied theater at DePaul University while immersing himself in the vibrant Chicago garage rock community. As a guitarist and co-vocalist for the heavy psych outfit Post Animal, Keery toured cramped basement circuits and indie clubs across the Midwest. When his screen commitments expanded following the explosion of Stranger Things, he quietly exited touring life with Post Animal so his sudden screen fame wouldn't overshadow his bandmates' artistry.
That exact impulse birthed Djo. Keery launched the moniker in 2019 with the debut album Twenty Twenty, disguising his physical appearance during live shows behind theatrical disguises to let the records speak on their own terms. The persona gave him artistic breathing room. Listeners engaged with fuzzy guitars, sweeping analog synths, and intricate vocal harmonies without checking his IMDb credits first.
By the time his second studio record, DECIDE, landed in September 2022, Keery had refined his sound alongside sound engineer and co-producer Adam Thein. The record mixed biting commentary on hyper-connected modern life with deep introspective reflections. Tucked into the tracklist was "End of Beginning," a brisk, two-and-a-half-minute synth ballad that would alter his musical footprint forever.
