The definitive song of late 2023/early 2024 was more than a year old at that point, but Djo’s “End of Beginning” was the track that broke the seal on Joe Keery’s music career. Seemingly overnight, his solo project was no longer a best-kept secret for his die-hard fans (and the listeners who simply thought “Roddy” was awesome but had no clue who the man behind Djo actually was). The track was the sixth-most streamed song in the world in 2024 with more than a billion streams, charting in 41 countries and going Platinum and Gold in nearly 20 territories. Oh, and it shot to #11 on the Hot 100. Not too shabby for that pizza delivery guy who played guitar in Post Animal, huh? Keery and I went long on his breakout success last year.
Of course, it’s been over two years now since the second Djo album, DECIDE, came out. But Keery’s a busy guy, acting in Stranger Things, Fargo and Marmalade since then. But Djo fans clamoring for an “End of Beginning” follow-up can finally rejoice. Keery’s new album, The Crux, which he co-produced with his longtime music partner Adam Thein at Electric Lady Studios in New York City, will arrive April 4 via AWAL, and lead single “Basic Being Basic” is already a red-hot song of the year contender. It’s a two-and-a-half-minute bite of Oberheim OB-X8-fueled, synth-pop splendor. Seriously, Keery’s falsetto pitch shifts are pure technicolor. The song is a “shot fire to anyone who’s trying to be of the moment,” he says. There’s a line about Vera Bradley being in vogue that is so deliciously cheeky. If “Basic Being Basic” says anything about the rest of The Crux, then 2025 will be the Year of Djo once more.
Watch the music video for “Basic Being Basic,” check out The Crux album artwork and tracklist, and catch up on Djo’s upcoming tour with Post Animal below.
The Crux Artwork:
The Crux Tracklist: Lonesome Is A State of Mind Basic Being Basic Link Potion Delete Ya Egg Fly Charlie’s Garden Gap Tooth Smile Golden Line Back On You Crux
Djo’s Upcoming Tour Dates: February 06 – Auckland, New Zealand @ Laneway Festival February 08 – Brisbane, Australia @ Laneway Festival February 09 – Sydney, Australia @ Laneway Festival February 12 – Sydney, Australia @ Enmore Theatre February 14 – Melbourne, Australia @ Laneway Festival February 15 – Adelaide, Australia @ Laneway Festival February 16 – Perth, Australia @ Laneway Festival April 04 – Portland, OR @ Revolution Hall April 05 – Portland, OR @ Revolution Hall April 07 – Vancouver, BC @ Commodore Ballroom April 08 – Seattle, WA @ Paramount Theatre April 10 – Oakland, CA @ Fox Theater April 11 – Indio, CA @ Coachella April 18 – Indio, CA @ Coachella April 19 – Phoenix, AZ @ The Van Buren April 21 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Rockwell at the Complex April 23 – Denver, CO @ The Mission Ballroom April 25 – Madison, WI @ The Sylvee April 26 – Saint Paul, MN @ Palace Theatre April 28 – Detroit, MI @ Royal Oak Music Theatre April 29 – Toronto, ON @ History May 01 – Washington, DC @ The Anthem May 02 – Boston, MA @ Roadrunner May 03 – Philadelphia, PA @ Franklin Music Hall May 05 – Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel May 06 – Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel June 01 – Dublin, Ireland @ 3Olympia June 02 – Glasgow, UK @ O2 Academy June 03 – Manchester, UK @ Academy June 06 – London, UK @ O2 Forum Kentish Town June 10 – Copenhagen, Denmark @ Poolen June 11 – Oslo, Norway @ Sentrum Scene June 13 – Stockholm, Sweden @ Annexet June 15 – Hilvarenbeek, Netherlands @ Best Kept Secret Festival June 16 – Cologne, Germany @ E-Werk June 17 – Berlin, Germany @ Huxleys June 18 – Warsaw, Poland @ Progresja June 20 – Scheebel, Germany @ Hurricane Festival June 21 – Tuttlingen, Germany @ Southside Festival June 23 – Paris, France @ ELYSEE MONTMARTRE June 24 – Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Paradiso
*All North American, UK and EU tour dates w/ Post Animal
Djo will be the musical guest on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon on January 28.
