Djo starts a new chapter with 'The Crux'
Djo – the musical project of actor/producer/songwriter Joe Keery, known for his work in blockbuster projects like Stranger Things and Fargo – releases his new album ‘The Crux’ today. This album is the follow-up to Djo's 2022 album ‘DECIDE’, which featured the hit ‘End of Beginning’. Djo also announced a major world tour: The Djo - Back On You Tour. During all dates in North America, the UK, and Europe, Post Animal will provide support. The European leg of the tour kicks off on June 1st in Dublin, with both festival and club shows, including Best Kept Secret, and on June 24th and 25th, Djo will perform at Paradiso in Amsterdam.
‘The Crux’ was co-produced by Keery and his longtime musical partner Adam Thein. The album deviates from Keery’s earlier works – bedroom recordings focused on synths – by emphasizing full guitars and instrumentation that evokes pop music from the late '60s and '70s. Keery wrote the album during a period when he struggled with the transience of his acting career and the independence of his friends and family. To create the album, he immersed himself in the legendary ‘Electric Lady Studios’ in New York. ‘The Crux’ not only showcases his ambitious vision, but also his skills as a multi-instrumentalist and songwriter. While the album starts as a reflection on the end of a relationship, it leads to expressions of self-confidence and a celebration of close friendships and the people around you. These themes are not only present in the lyrics but also in the collaborations. With contributions from family and friends, the album carries a warm energy that reflects the bonds at its core. Although the songs are rich in specificity, the album plays like a film soundtrack, allowing the listener to easily immerse themselves in a character, situation, or emotion.
2024 was a fantastic year for Djo, thanks to the enormous success of his song ‘End of Beginning’, which reached the number 1 spot on the Global Spotify Chart and became the #6 most-streamed song worldwide in 2024 with 1.5 billion streams and over 60 billion TikTok views. The song charted in the official charts of 41 countries and has received multiple Platinum and Gold certifications in 17 regions, including Gold in the Netherlands. This year, ‘End of Beginning’ also earned Djo his first BRIT Award nomination for ‘International Song of the Year’.
