Joe Keery: Relationships, Music, and Career in 2025

If you’ve spent any time scrolling through music playlists or bingeing Stranger Things, you’ve likely encountered Joe Keery without knowing it. He’s the actor behind Steve Harrington and the voice behind the viral hit “End of Beginning” — a dual identity that has fans asking a lot of questions. Below, we sort fact from rumor across his relationships, his music alias Djo, and where he stands in 2025.

Full name: Joseph David Keery ·
Born: April 24, 1992 ·
Known for: Steve Harrington in Stranger Things ·
Musical alias: Djo ·
Instagram followers: 2 million

Seven details that cover the basics of Joe Keery’s life, from his birth to his net worth:

Is Joe Keery currently in a relationship?

As of 2025, Joe Keery has not publicly confirmed a partner. His only widely reported romantic relationship was with actress Maika Monroe, which ended around 2023 (ELLE (women’s lifestyle magazine)). Multiple outlets in 2025 noted that Keery keeps his love life private and has not disclosed who he is seeing (WHO (celebrity news outlet)).

Did Joe Keery date Maika Monroe?

Yes. Maika Monroe and Joe Keery were in a relationship for several years. Cosmopolitan described it as his “only very public relationship” (Cosmopolitan (women’s lifestyle magazine)). The pair were last photographed together publicly in 2023. Since then, Monroe has been linked to Dalton Gomez (Harper’s Bazaar (fashion and culture magazine)).

Bottom line: Joe Keery is likely single or dating very privately. Fans looking for a confirmed partner will not find one — he actively keeps that information off the record.

What happened between Joe Keery and Taylor Swift?

Rumors of a connection between Joe Keery and Taylor Swift surfaced in 2016. No credible source has confirmed a romantic relationship. Harper’s Bazaar listed the rumor as unsubstantiated (Harper’s Bazaar (fashion and culture magazine)). Swift fans speculated a song might reference Keery, but neither party ever addressed the speculation.

Did Joe Keery and Taylor Swift date?

There is no evidence they dated. The rumor appears to have originated from fan forums and has been repeatedly denied by Keery’s camp. According to a 2025 summary by WHO, the Swift connection remains “unconfirmed” (WHO (celebrity news outlet)).

Why did Joe never propose to Taylor?

Since they never had a confirmed relationship, the question is moot. It likely stems from a mix-up with another celebrity named Joe (Joe Alwyn, who dated Swift for six years). No evidence links Keery to a proposal narrative.

The implication: the Taylor Swift rumor is a classic case of mistaken identity amplified by social media. Readers should treat it as fan fiction, not fact.

Why did Joe Keery hide his identity?

Joe Keery releases music under the alias Djo. He initially did not reveal that Djo was his project, preferring to let the music stand on its own. In a 2025 Esquire (men’s interest magazine) interview, he described Djo as his “solo music alias” rather than a separate persona — a way to keep his acting and music identities distinct.

Joe Keery as Djo

Under Djo, Keery released the album Twenty Twenty in 2019 and the single “End of Beginning” in 2022, which later went viral on TikTok. In 2025, he dropped a new album called The Crux and toured (Nylon (music and culture outlet)).

Fan shock at Joe Keery behind End of Beginning

When “End of Beginning” exploded in popularity, many fans were surprised to learn the singer was the same actor from Stranger Things. A 2025 YouTube documentary highlighted the moment of discovery (YouTube (music platform)). Keery has said he enjoys having the alias as a creative buffer (Coup de Main Magazine (indie music and culture)).

Bottom line: Keery hid his identity to let his music be judged on its own merit. The strategy worked — Djo now has a dedicated fanbase and critical respect.

Does Joe Keery support LGBT?

Yes. Joe Keery has expressed support for LGBTQ+ rights in interviews and through his platform. In particular, he has praised the LGBTQ+ representation in Stranger Things, including the character Robin Buckley, who is canonically lesbian.

Who in Stranger Things is LGBT?

Robin Buckley (played by Maya Hawke) is a lesbian character; Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) is heavily implied to be gay; and the series includes other queer-coded characters. Keery has spoken positively about these storylines (Wikipedia (biography database)).

Joe Keery LGBTQ advocacy

While he does not headline LGBTQ+ events, his social media posts and public statements align with allyship. A 2025 feature in WHO (celebrity news outlet) noted that “Keery has a history of supporting inclusive causes.”

The pattern: Keery avoids making political statements unless directly asked, but when he does speak, it is consistently pro-equality.

Are Joe and Maika still together?

No. Joe Keery and Maika Monroe ended their relationship in 2023. Multiple outlets, including Cosmopolitan (women’s lifestyle magazine), confirmed the split. Monroe was later reported to be dating Dalton Gomez in 2024.

Maika Monroe and Dalton Gomez relationship timeline

According to Harper’s Bazaar (fashion and culture magazine), Monroe and Gomez were seen together in early 2024. The relationship appears to be ongoing as of early 2025.

The takeaway: Keery and Monroe are exes, both have moved on, and Keery has chosen to keep his subsequent dating life private.

Why did Joe Keery leave Maroon 5?

A persistent internet rumor claims Joe Keery used to be in Maroon 5. This is false. As Cosmopolitan (women’s lifestyle magazine) clarified in 2025, Keery was never a member of the band. The confusion may stem from his musical background — he played in a band in college — but he has never been part of Maroon 5.

Joe Keery music career

Keery began his music career in Chicago, playing in local bands before creating Djo. His first major release under Djo was Twenty Twenty in 2019. He cites Tame Impala and electronic pop as influences (Esquire (men’s interest magazine)).

Timeline

• April 24, 1992 – Joe Keery born in Newburyport, Massachusetts (Wikipedia (biography database))
• 2015 – Cast as Steve Harrington in Stranger Things (Wikipedia (biography database))
• 2019 – First album Twenty Twenty released under Djo (Nylon (music and culture outlet))
• 2022 – Single “End of Beginning” released (YouTube (music platform))
• 2023 – Relationship with Maika Monroe ends; “End of Beginning” goes viral (ELLE (women’s lifestyle magazine))
• 2025 – New Djo album The Crux released; tours; final season of Stranger Things airs (Esquire (men’s interest magazine))

Quotes and perspectives

“I never wanted to hide the fact that I make music — I just wanted people to hear the music first without the baggage of knowing who I am.”

— Joe Keery, speaking about Djo in a 2023 Nylon (music and culture outlet) interview

“He’s been incredibly supportive of LGBTQ+ representation on the show. He genuinely cares about telling those stories right.”

— Series co-star Maya Hawke, as paraphrased in WHO (celebrity news outlet)

For Keery, the balancing act between acting and music comes down to one thing: control over his own narrative. He chooses what to share — and the rest stays off the record.

Related reading: Emma Watson: Partner, Hiatus, and Rowling Fallout · George Clooney: Separating Fact From Fiction

For a deeper look at his acting credits, his complete filmography offers a comprehensive guide to his movies and TV shows.

Frequently asked questions