The recent UC Davis graduate discussed her experience since becoming a local DJ
By LAILA AZHAR — features@theaggie.org
Yordan Scalas, better known as DJ YNOT, knows how to get a party started. The vivacious presence behind the DJ booth at an array of Davis events, her past several weekends have been a flurry of clustered dance floors.
Scalas, a 2024 UC Davis graduate, became a DJ to solve a problem of her own.
“I used to throw a lot of parties at my house last year, and I just felt like something was always missing,” Scalas said.
Hoping a DJ would fill that void, she began searching for someone to enhance her parties. But when no one met her standards, she had only one option.
“Fuck it, I’ll be the DJ,” Scalas said.
Her father — also a DJ — began teaching her on his board and speakers this February. Less than a year later, Scalas has played recent events including UCD Fits and Yesterday Vintage Store’s Costume Kickback, Davis Snow Club’s Halloween Crawl and Theta Xi and Five Percent Studio’s Nightmare on First Street.
Scalas has already racked up fans in Davis, including Stephanie Maravilla, a second-year political science — public service major.
“I saw DJ YNOT play at a Snow Club party,” Maravilla said. “Good music can make or break the energy of a party, so it was really cool how she set the vibes with her set.”
Ivan Lai, a fourth-year human biology major, helped plan the recent Nightmare on First Street event, and said DJ YNOT kept the crowd’s energy up throughout the night.
“She’s not just locked into one genre, which is huge for us,” Lai said. “We want our parties to keep everyone moving, and she’s exactly the kind of DJ who can deliver that. Her set feels like this perfect wave, keeping everyone hyped and engaged from start to finish.”
Along with her training, Scalas’ DJ name also came from her father. Serendipitously, “DJ YNOT” was the first name he came up with. As soon as he said it, Scalas knew the name was the one. This DJ name has inspired its own line of merchandise, which can be seen on her Instagram page.
“YNOT was so fire, I just had to put it on a shirt,” Scalas said.
Her clothing line includes a tank top with the name “YNOT” in graffiti script — a piece inspired by her experience as a graffiti artist.
In terms of creating her music, Scalas listens to music constantly and is always crafting the perfect playlist for each event. But for the most part, her process is very go-with-the-flow.
“Honestly, I kind of just YOLO it,” Scalas said. “It’s like, this song sounds good, I’ll go from there.”
Her friends often attend her shows, and she shared that watching them enjoy themselves is her favorite part of every set.
“I hardly look up from my board, but whenever I do they’re always there, and I can spot them out dancing,” Scalas said.
Scalas also said that she has found similar community support in other DJs based in the Davis area.
“I meet new DJs every day, and they teach me something new every time,” Scalas said.
Scalas — like all of us — isn’t entirely sure about the future, but her five-year plan entails playing at clubs and festivals.
“It’s so random, but I really want to be on a reality TV show one day, so I’m hoping DJ-ing will lead me there,” Scalas said.
It’s easy to picture her as a contestant on a reality TV show — her larger-than-life DJ personality seems that it would translate perfectly to the big screen.
Davis has a reputation for being a particularly quiet town — a reputation that Scalas said she finds often holds true. But when DJ YNOT is at the board, the small town feels electric and filled to the brim with excitement.
“With YNOT behind the decks, we know it’ll be an unforgettable night,” Lai said. “Why not be obsessed with DJ YNOT?”
Written by: Laila Azhar — features@theaggie.org
