From Steve Harrington to Djo: How Stranger Things’ Joe Keery is making his mark in music

Joe Keery, A.K.A. Stranger Things heartthrob Steve Harrington, A.K.A. Djo, is a long-time fan favorite who might just be popping up at your favorite music festival.

While we eagerly await the next set of Stranger Things episodes (please don’t kill off Steve), it feels like the right time to dive into his other Hollywood side, the music industry. Joe Keery is obviously most known for his role in Stranger Things, but he’s also a musician. His stage name is Djo, and he’s a Chicago artist who makes psychedelic rock. He even played at Lollapalooza last year. Djo is pronounced like Joe, not DJ O. In an interview, Keery revealed that he chose the name to spell Joe in the most confusing way possible, which honestly sums up his humor perfectly.

Many fans first discovered Joe Keery through Chicago’s indie rock scene back in the 2010s. Before he ever became Steve Harrington, he was in the band Post Animal as a guitarist and drummer. From there, he launched his solo project as Djo in 2019 and has since released three albums: Twenty Twenty, Decide, and Crux.

As soon as we found out about all of this, we checked out his Spotify and instantly recognized his TikTok hit, which you probably know too: End of Beginning. This soft rock track went viral thanks to its nostalgic, emotional lyrics like “And when I’m back in Chicago, I feel it. Another version of me I was in it. I wave goodbye to the end of beginning.”

Charlie Heaton, A.K.A. Jonathan Byers, might be Steve Harrington’s biggest competition for Nancy Wheeler on-screen, but in the music world, they’re collaborators. Heaton did a voiceover on a track called Charlie’s Garden on Djo’s latest album, and he also spent time drumming for a couple of London bands earlier in his career.

Interestingly enough, many of the Stranger Things cast members have ties to music. Vecna, A.K.A. Jamie Campbell Bower, makes various forms of rock that lean heavier, creating an alter ego that lines up a little too well with one of television’s most terrifying villains. Lucas Sinclair, played by Caleb McLaughlin, started his music career in 2021 with two singles currently available for streaming. He’s incredibly passionate about being an artist, and fans should expect to see him continue making waves as he grows in his career.

So if you need a break from all the Christmas music and you’re just as excited as we are for the next drop of Stranger Things episodes, check out some of the cast’s music. You might discover that your favorite television character is also behind your new favorite band. Happy listening!

Featured Image from @strangerthingstv on Instagram

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Raquel Dixit

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