Djo’s “End of Beginnings” song saw a significant rise in popularity in the early months of 2024, after one and a half years since its official release. The track gained traction, particularly on TikTok, accumulating millions of views, prompting Djo to release the song as a single.
“End of Beginnings” is the seventh track on Djo’s second studio album ‘DECIDE’, released on September 16, 2022. The album peaked at #56 on the Billboard 200 chart. However, this song has amassed over 100 million views on YouTube alone. The song reached #21 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
In a 2024 interview with Variety, following his major success as an actor on Netflix’s Stranger Things TV series, Joe Keery AKA Djo spoke about the real-life inspiration behind the song; “It’s about what it means to grow up and look back at a section of your life and kind of yearn for that, but then also to have a deep appreciation for what happened.”
Joe Keery moved to L.A. after the success of the Stranger Things series. In the song, he reflects on the time he lived in Chicago, attending DePaul University, and was part of the local indie-rock group Post Animal.
Listen to “End Of Beginning” by Djo
Djo “End Of Beginning” Lyrics Meaning and Song Review
In the first verse of the song, Djo reflects on what he has achieved in his career. ‘One more tear’ left to cry hints that his troubles are almost over. This could refer to the massive success of Netflix’s Stranger Things series, in which he played the role of Steve Harrington. The series, which debuted in 2016, was already a cult hit by the year of this song’s release. So, he looks back at the path he has traveled to be here.
“Remember twenty-four?”
Joe Keery was 24-years-old when the Stranger Things series debuted in 2016. The show’s immediate success catapulted Joe Keery to the spotlight and the glitz and glamour that followed. So, it is only natural that he looks at age 24 as a pivotal time in his life. It also signifies the end of one chapter and the beginning of another.
I wave goodbye to the end of beginning
Anytime Djo visits or thinks about Chicago, there is a sudden rush of emotions that engulf him. A time before anyone recognized him in public. A time before he had to worry about making it. But he was juggling it all – university, work, and his band Post Animals. He was a different version of the person he is today.
In the second verse of the song, Djo has a little chuckle at himself, thinking about how life has changed drastically ever since he decided to take the part of Steve Harrington in the Stranger Things series. It is almost comical how one decision can change someone’s life.
Djo also talks about how it was a major sacrifice on his part to uproot his life to take the role of Steve Harrington in the Stranger Things series. He had to leave Chicago, leave his friends behind, disband his music group, and possibly make many more sacrifices in his relationships.
Enter, Caroline
“Just trust me, you’ll be fine”
Caroline Keery is Joe’s (eldest?) sister. She gets a shout-out in Djo’s “End of Beginning” as possibly one of the biggest factors of Joe’s acting success. She is also often cited as the one who got Joe Keery into acting. Caroline saw something in her brother that even he didn’t see in himself. Caroline’s reassuring words when Joe left home to conquer the world still resonate in his head.
You take the man out of the city, not the city out the man
With these lyrics, Djo seemingly says that he is still a Chicago man at heart. His time in Chicago has left a lasting impression on him and formed the person he is today. So, it comes as little surprise that he looks at the ‘end of beginning’ in Chicago so fondly, even after years and superstardom around him.
Let us hear what you think about this song in the comments below. Read the complete lyrics to the song on Genius.