'Strange Things' Star Joe Keery Reveals Shocking Musical Influence

Joe Keery just released his sophomore album DECIDE under the moniker Djo. The project is noticeably more pop oriented than the Stranger Things star's debut album, and during an interview with SPIN he opened up about the album's surprising influence.

"I really do love pop music, and I think there are elements of boy band-ness in there, like NSYNC or the Backstreet Boys, especially when I’m doing stuff with falsetto," he revealed. "The Beatles were a pop band, and they’re the greatest band of all time. That’s an influence. I just, I guess, have a love and appreciation for a lot of different music. When I’m listening to an album, I enjoy hearing a bunch of different influences, and that’s what I’m trying to bring in. I like being able to hear Daft Punk and also the Backstreet Boys."

He also opened up more about fans discovering his music because they like Stranger Things. "It’s not lost on me that a lot of people tune into the music because of Stranger Things, and I’m really appreciative of that," Keery said. "There are so many other artists creating albums that are unbelievable, so the fact that the show was able to get more ears listening to my things is really cool. For a while, I was worried about why people were listening to it. Every artist wants to be taken seriously. These days, I just feel really thankful for that opportunity in my life and everything that it’s allowed me to do."