Two DJs, One Vision: Inside Not Yurs’ Collaborative Sound

Navigating the saturated Phoenix EDM scene can be a difficult thing for anyone to do. The dynamic duo, Not Yurs, however, has not only been securing audiences around the Valley, but across the entire state of Arizona and California as well. Garrett and Nathan are the ultimate definition of teamwork as they navigate the balancing act of identifying as local deejays with the desire to grow outside of the Valley.

Both deejays, originally from Chicago, didn’t meet until 2017 at a Seven Lions show held at the Van Buren, and it wasn't until six years later that they began mixing themselves.

“We learned how to deejay [and] how to make music together,” Nathan says.

Learning how to mix as a team has only made their mixes stronger, yet it can still come with its challenges.

“Even with Ableton and learning how to make music, there’s a large learning curve,” Garrett says. “There’s a sound in our heads and it can take time to create that sound and our own vision.”

Collaborating with vocalists, instrumentalists, and labels has allowed the duo to expand their creativity through other sources. Their friends at the northern California label, Quack Squawk Honk, have helped them secure collaborations with other artists throughout their discography, including on tracks like Footloose and even their latest EP, Turn Me On. The duo has also worked with trumpeters and saxophone players throughout Phoenix as they continue to broaden their range.

“When it comes to our music, we’re not a one-trick pony,” Garrett says. “We like to curate our sound based on what and where we’re playing. We tend to fluctuate from a slow, groovy feel and grow into a darker, high-energy set.”

As 2026 brings about a growing fanbase, Not Yurs continues to find the balance between identifying as local deejays but with a desire to grow outside city limits.

“We want to be playing out as much as possible without diminishing our value overall,” Nathan says. “Why would someone pay you if you’re playing for free out of your backyard?”

Despite the difficulty of this balancing act, they continue to put 100% of themselves into their work.

“One of the things we try to be is as authentic as possible, for everything we do,” Nathan says. “We don't have a team, we’re the ones who are doing all the social content, the music, and everything else…it's been a grind.”

The grind keeps Not Yurs busy and tired, but seems to be paying off, with 2026 getting off to hot start with an appearance at the Gem and Jam Festival in Tucson in February. They plan to continue heating up the EDM scene in the new year with new EPs and collaborations slated to release in mid-February.