The days of Djo being just another niche music name are long behind him. Last year, when the song ‘End of the Beginning’ went viral on TikTok, people were shocked to find out that it was Joe Keery, the Stranger Things
star. And that the name Djo, pronounced like Joe, was not just random—it was a careful choice. Before focusing on his acting career, Joe Keery was part of the psychedelic rock band Post Animal. And since 2019, he has been trying to build a name for himself as a solo musician. Recently, Keery announced his third studio album, ‘The Crux’.
After the announcement, Keery recently examined the vinyl cover of his album, teasing fans about potential Easter eggs and hidden details.
Joe Keery dives into the details of his The Crux album vinyl cover
Joe Keery has appeared on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon
twice before to promote his acting roles, but this time, he stopped by to talk about his music, going by the name Djo. On the show, Djo broke down the distinctive vinyl cover of ‘The Crux,’ which showed him hanging out on a window ledge while people down on the street did all sorts of bizarre and random things. He explained that the album’s theme is about “one of many
,” and that is why the cover feels like “a lot going on and a lot to look at
.”
.@djotime addresses the Easter eggs on the cover for his upcoming album The Crux 👀 #FallonTonight pic.twitter.com/yaNpthPcRS
— The Tonight Show (@FallonTonight) January 29, 2025
Djo also pointed out a tiny mouse on the cover, dressed as a mailman, and a shirtless man in the building—who just so happened to be their stunt coordinator. Fallon revealed that Djo recorded the track at Electric Lady Studios in New York, a popular spot for many big-name pop stars, including Taylor Swift
. Last year, Djo opened up about the whirlwind of fame he experienced after his solo track blew up.
In fact, Djo, aka Joe Keery, was confused by suddenly finding himself all over everyone’s For You Page.
Joe Keery was caught off guard by his sudden musical success
When Joe Keery’s ‘End of the Beginning’ became a hit, the actor did not even know about it for the longest time. He was not using TikTok, so he only found out after his music collaborator filled him in around mid-February. In an interview with SiriusXM, Keery said, “It’s been sort of snowballing and been pretty crazy.
”
🎥| Djo performs “Basic Being Basic” live on The Tonight Show pic.twitter.com/Fgyp7oKZ1l
— Djo Source (@djosource) January 29, 2025
Keery wrote the song based on his experience of leaving Chicago—where he went to DePaul University and got plugged into the local indie-rock realm—to head to LA after his Netflix show took off. The actor was happy that people were learning about his pre-Stranger Things
fame days. Now, it will be interesting to see what other untold stories and new sides of Keery’s life will come to light with his upcoming album.
Read More: ‘Stranger Things’ Actor Joe Keery Feels “relief” and “sadness” as Netflix Show Nears Its End
What do you think about Joe Keery’s new vinyl cover of ‘The Crux?’ Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
