Joe Keery paid heartfelt tribute to his Stranger Things co-star Charlie Heaton in his upcoming album The Crux soundtrack, Charlie’s Garden.

The actor and singer revealed the inspiration that struck him to write the song during a Zoom interview with the Entertainment Weekly.

“I guess part of trying to be as honest as I could, was realising that I could use these songs to sing about the people that I love in my life, and to memorialise these times that I’m experiencing,” he said.

“And so it just kind of came about.”

The gleeful number originated during the time when Keery shared a backyard with Heaton and his long-time girlfriend and co-star Natalia Dyer as they were filming the Netflix series in Atlanta.

“Charlie and Natalia lived together, and I lived with a friend, and our backyards touched,” he shared, adding that he often spotted Heaton busy in garden chores.

The song took place when Heaton and Dyer where out on a walk with their dog and Keery asked them if he can play their piano.

“‘Hey, can I play your piano while you’re gone?’ ‘Sure.’ [I replied,] ‘Okay, lock up,'” he narrated. “So, this song just comes out. Charlie and Natalia come back, and I say, ‘Hey, listen, I got this song!'”

He continued, “It’s one of my favourites now, just because the influences are very clear. It’s the Beatles, but [Paul] McCartney specifically, and ELO [Electric Light Orchestra].”

Keery gushed, “It’s an homage to my great friend and my time in Atlanta. So I get a real kick out of listening to that song.”

The singer’s upcoming record, The Crux is slated for release on April 4th, 2025.