Joe Keery End of Beginning: Did He Sing It? Djo Facts

If you’ve stumbled across a dreamy, synth-soaked track on TikTok and wondered who’s behind it, you’re not alone. “End of Beginning” has become a sleeper hit years after its release, and the voice belongs to an actor you definitely recognize.

Song release date: September 16, 2022 ·
Album: DECIDE ·
Official visualizer views (YouTube): 51 million+ ·
Artist stage name: Djo ·
Label: AWAL

The key facts about Joe Keery’s dual identity show how acting and music careers can run in parallel.

Did Joe Keery actually sing the End of Beginning?

Yes — that unmistakable voice on “End of Beginning” belongs to Joe Keery, performing under his stage name Djo. The song was released on September 16, 2022 via AWAL as the sixth track on his second studio album DECIDE (Wikipedia’s editorial entry). It was later issued as a single on March 1, 2024.

Who is the artist behind “End of Beginning”?

• Joe Keery is an American actor and musician, born April 24, 1992 in Newburyport, Massachusetts (Wikipedia biography).
• He is best known for playing Steve Harrington in Netflix’s Stranger Things (IMDb).
• His music career began earlier than many realize: he was a contributing musician for the band Post Animal before launching his solo project Djo in 2019 (IMDb).

Does Joe Keery perform as Djo?

Absolutely. Djo is his official stage name, pronounced just like “Joe.” The alias came from a friend’s nickname for him and allows a clean separation between his acting and music careers. In a Rolling Stone feature, Keery described the distinction as crucial for his creative independence.

The pattern: when you hear “End of Beginning,” you’re hearing Keery’s own story, not a character’s.

Why is Djo called Djo?

The name Djo is simpler than it looks: it’s a phonetic play on “Joe.” According to Songfacts’ music reference, the stage name came from a friend’s nickname for Keery, and he adopted it for his music projects to keep his musical identity distinct from his acting fame.

What does the stage name Djo mean?

• It’s spelled D-J-O and pronounced “Joe” — the same as his first name.
• It signals a separate creative persona from Steve Harrington.
• Keery has said the alias gives him freedom to experiment musically without the baggage of his acting reputation.

How did Joe Keery choose the name Djo?

The name emerged organically from his social circle. A friend’s shortened version of his name stuck, and Keery decided it worked perfectly as a stage name. It’s a small but meaningful choice that reflects his desire to let the music stand on its own terms.

The catch: Keery’s career separation strategy has paid off — fans now know Djo as an artist in his own right, not just “the actor who also makes music.”

Did Steve from Stranger Things make the song “End of Beginning”?

No — and this is one of the most common points of confusion. Steve Harrington, the character Joe Keery plays on Stranger Things, did not make the song. Joe Keery, the real person, made it under his stage name Djo.

Is Joe Keery’s character Steve Harrington the singer?

• Steve Harrington is a fictional character from the Netflix series Stranger Things (IMDb’s series page).
• Joe Keery is the actor who portrays him — and is also the musician behind Djo.
• Fans sometimes conflate the two because Keery is so closely associated with the role, but they are entirely separate entities.

What is the connection between Stranger Things and the song?

The only connection is the actor himself. Keery’s fame from playing Steve Harrington drove massive interest in his music once fans discovered his Djo project. According to Wikipedia’s editorial entry, the song experienced a second wave of popularity in January 2026 after the Stranger Things series finale aired.

The implication: Keery’s acting fame brought eyes to his music, but also created confusion he must continually address.

What is Joe Keery’s most famous song?

Without question, “End of Beginning” is Joe Keery’s biggest hit. It’s his highest-streamed track, the one that crossed over from indie obscurity to mainstream charts, and the song most casual listeners know him by.

Why is “End of Beginning” his biggest hit?

• It went viral on TikTok in 2024, generating an estimated 2.2 million video creations during its rise (Yahoo Entertainment report).
• It reached No. 23 on the Billboard Hot 100 during its viral run.
• The song’s nostalgic, synth-driven sound resonated with a wide audience on social media.

What other songs has Joe Keery released?

Keery’s discography as Djo includes two full-length albums: Twenty Twenty (2019) and DECIDE (2022). Notable tracks include “Flash Mountain” and “Change,” though none have matched the viral success of “End of Beginning.”

The trade-off: viral hits can be a double-edged sword. “End of Beginning” has become so dominant that casual listeners may not realize Keery has a broader catalog worth exploring.

When did Joe Keery reveal he was Djo?

Keery never really hid the connection — but mainstream awareness of Djo’s identity grew slowly over several years.

Timeline of Joe Keery’s Djo identity

• 2019: He releases debut album Twenty Twenty as Djo. The alias is noted in promotional materials but doesn’t gain wide attention.
• September 16, 2022: “End of Beginning” drops on DECIDE. Still niche.
• Early 2024: TikTok users latch onto the song. Rolling Stone’s music feature publishes “Djo Has a Hot 100 Hit. For Joe Keery, It’s a Rebirth.”
• 2025: Keery performs as Djo at Laneway festival in Sydney, bringing the project to live audiences globally.

How did fans discover Djo was Joe Keery?

The discovery happened organically through social media. As “End of Beginning” gained traction on TikTok, users connected the dots between the singer and the Stranger Things actor. The Guardian’s entertainment coverage reported that the song resurfaced again in 2025 when users paired it with videos related to current events, proving its staying power.

The catch: Keery’s dual identity wasn’t a secret reveal — it was a slow-burn discovery that his acting fame eventually accelerated.

What happened between Joe Keery and Taylor Swift?

Nothing confirmed. Rumors of a relationship between Joe Keery and Taylor Swift have circulated on social media, but no credible source has ever substantiated them.

Are Joe Keery and Taylor Swift dating?

• No evidence from reputable outlets supports a romantic relationship.
• The rumors appear to stem entirely from fan speculation and social media posts.
• Neither party has commented publicly on the matter.

What is the nature of their relationship?

Based on available information, there is no relationship to speak of. The question persists mainly because internet culture enjoys pairing celebrities with one another, and Keery’s rising musical profile placed him in the same conversational orbit as Swift.

The catch: for a celebrity of Swift’s stature, any association — even baseless — generates headlines that can overshadow an artist’s actual work.

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Fans curious about the story behind Djos viral hit can find a detailed breakdown of its rise on TikTok and Keery’s musical alter ego.

Frequently asked questions

For Joe Keery, the choice is clear: continue building Djo as a legitimate musical identity beyond the viral moment, or risk being remembered as a one-hit wonder who also acted. The success of “End of Beginning” proved he can reach mainstream audiences — the question now is what he does next.