Non La

Vancouver musician DJ On operates the Non La project, producing fuzzy yet melodic indie rock drawn from narratives of queer identity, romance, and race. The moniker references the traditional conical hat tied to Vietnamese heritage. In 2020 he issued his first album, Not in Love. Blending wit with emotional depth inside lo-fi guitar pop, the set earned him a deal with regional indie Mint Records, which issued the follow-up Like Before in early 2024.

As a young gay Taiwanese-Vietnamese resident of Canada, DJ On encountered limited representation and therefore turned to creative outlets for self-expression. He took up guitar, beginning with classic rock and grunge before moving toward indie acts such as Sleater-Kinney, an early influence. Years spent performing on assorted instruments in local indie bands, plus a stint as a stand-up comic, prepared him to release music under his own name. Non La became his central focus starting in 2019. The 2020 debut Not in Love displayed a strong mix of humor and openness while examining his perspective as a gay Asian-Canadian man. Its sharp accounts of romantic longing sat alongside jagged guitar lines and memorable melodies that drew the interest of Vancouver indie Mint Records. Cut over two nights with Megamall bandmate Gal Av-Gay, the 2024 album Like Before retained a comparable sonic drive to the first record while addressing fresh love and the work of sustaining relationships.