Nepo Baby? Nope.
After appearing in various commercials and with minor roles in “Empire” and “Chicago Fire,” Joe Keery’s breakthrough role was as Steve in “Stranger Things” in 2015. Since then, he has starred in “Spree” and acted in “Free Guy”, “Cold Storage” and season five of “Fargo,” as well as a few other television and movie roles.
He started his music career under the name Cool Cool Cool, releasing a few songs in his early twenties, including “Slowbro.” In 2014, he joined the band Post Animal, as a guitarist, drummer and vocalist, and performed on their debut and sophomore albums, but he left the band in 2019 due to acting commitments.
In the same year, he released his first two solo singles: “Roddy” and “Chateau (Feel Alright),” introducing his new synth-pop, psychedelic rock sound, under the name “Djo.” Coming up with the name by determining the most confusing way to spell his name, Keery wanted to separate his music and acting careers, preferring his audiences to discover his music independent from his acting fame. In late 2019, he released his debut album “Twenty Twenty” and his sophomore album “Decide” in 2022. One of the tracks from “Decide,” “End of Beginning” was re-released as a single in 2024 due to its more recent popularity on social media.
Keery continues to strive to keep his music and acting careers separate and plans to release more music within the coming years, maintaining his unique sound.
Essential Listens: “End of Beginning,” “Roddy,” “Chateau (Feel Alright),” “Slowbro”
