Meet The Finalists of the WXPN 24 Hour Song Challenge!

Out of more than 270 entries and 12 semifinalists, we’ve arrived at the top tier of this year’s WXPN 24 Hour Song Challenge. This year’s theme was “belong,” and participants were challenged to write an original song based on this prompt in just one day.

Each of our four finalists will receive a $500 honorarium, a $100 gift card to Russo Music, and a one-year WXPN Membership. Over the next week, we’ll introduce you to those four runners-up, and then announce the grand winner right here on Monday, June 30.

Madeline Knight

Born and raised in Malvern, singer-songwriter Madeline Knight has been performing since 2013, began taking more gigs when she got into high school, and has been performing ever since. For her entry in the 24 Hour Song Challenge, Knight sat in front of a bay window with bright green trees and foliage behind her to perform “Home for Home.”

Q: What inspired you to interpret the prompt “belong” the way you did?

A: I knew if I was going to follow through with this challenge and have the possibility of reaching a larger audience, I had to write and bring awareness towards a topic I care deeply about. The negligence that surrounds climate related issues as well as the general mistreatment of the environment is not sustainable in the long run. Will any of us really “belong” if our planet is one day uninhabitable? I hope this song sends a message of responsibility and urgency for climate action because truly, there is no planet B. 

Q: Can you tell us about your process? Are you lyrics-first, hook-first, etc?

A: Usually, a phrase or even just a word will come to me sometimes with a melody as well, and then I continue building the song around that. In the case of this song, I initially thought of the first line which then sparked the idea of the hook where I was able to connect the prompt and expand on the theme. 

Q: What artists are inspiring you right now?

A: I recently saw Beyonce for the first time in concert, and everything about her inspires me. From her attention to detail, the cohesiveness of both her albums and live show, her stamina and vocal agility, the lyrical depth, and her storytelling ability, she is all around one of the greatest to ever do it, and I have so much respect for her. 
 
Q: Where can people go to hear more of your music?

A: My first single ever actually came out today; it’s called “The Country.” My website is madelineknightmusic.com where you can find my gig schedule. I mainly post on Tiktok which is @sadsweezydiddybops or Instagram (@madelineknight), but all of this is linked on my website too! 

Yuneer Gainz

The Delaware-based, Brooklyn-born genre-meshing songwriter and producer Yuneer Gainz makes his return to the 24 Hour Song Challenge after placing as a finalist in last year’s competition with his song “Grown Man Tears.” This year, Gainz returned and impressed our judges again with the dynamic “Color Grading.”

Q: How, if at all, did you approach the 24 hour song challenge differently this year?

A: Last year, I let whatever would happen, happen. I showed up and floated through it. This year? I came with intention. With over 250 singer-songwriters in the mix, I knew if I wanted to stand out; I had to really try. No playing small, no shrinking in my skillset. If I want people to truly see me, to hear me, I can’t hold back. Every song’s gotta be treated like it could be my last.




Q: What inspired you to interpret the prompt “belong” the way you did?

A: When I saw the prompt, I knew I had to be at the top of my game. So I did what I always do when I’m chasing greatness; I played music from singer-songwriters I respect, to remind myself what it takes. But the first song I searched? It didn’t play the original. Just cover after cover. I had to type the artist’s name, the song title, the album; just to find them. 
 
That broke my heart. Because that artist makes me feel seen. Makes me feel like I belong, even in the smallest of spaces. And I thought, what happens when they’re gone? When their voice, their name, fades, and all that’s left is somebody else’s version? That’s when I realized; this was gonna be a vulnerable session. Just me, my feelings, and the truth. And if I leaned in, maybe I’d write one of my greatest songs.





Q: What did it mean to you to be a finalist in year one? How did it impact you artistically?
 
A: Being a finalist in year one meant everything. I was part of the history of a new platform; in a new city, at a time when I felt lost. I’d been so locked into writing for others, chasing syncs, licensing deals… and when I had to leave my home, I didn’t know what was next. My creativity took a hit. My spirit did too. I wondered if maybe it was time to stop. But then a friend from Philly sent me this contest, and I thought, let’s see. Let’s see if I have a shot at being me. A singer-songwriter people could feel, connect with, maybe even gravitate toward.

That moment let me approach music for myself. Gave me permission to imagine freedom. To create without being boxed in by my height, weight, complexion, accent or where I’m from. When John Vettese called my submission ‘imaginative’ on WXPN Homegrown Live; he couldn’t have been more right. Year one pushed my artistry forward in ways I didn’t even know I needed.

Q: What artists are inspiring you right now?
 
A: Today? Nemahsis, Samara Cyn, Jessie Reyez, Shaboozey, Jelly Roll, Leon Thomas, Jon Bellion, Nick Grant, Masego, and catalog co written by Kaydence. That’s what played so far today. That’s what’s inspiring me.

Q: Where can people go to hear more of your music?

A: Please follow on instagram at @yuneergainz and I look forward to engaging with everyone this year.  

The MAKs

Rooted in Ridley and Glenolden in Delco, modern rock veterans Melissa Menago (of June Divided), Angelique Zuppo (of Zupang), and Karina Patricelli (of Valendina) have been playing live on the local scene as The MAKs for the past year. Their 24 Hour Song Challenge entry is “The Boulder,” a brightly harmonized country-folk song reminiscent of The Highwomen.

Q: How long have you been performing collectively? What’s your background as individual artists?

The MAKs: Collectively as The MAKs, we had our first show in December of 2024 opening for John Faye and Jealousy Curve at Ardmore Music Hall. Our first single “Milky Way” came out a few weeks prior to that show so that month felt like our public debut as a band. The name was easy – that just came from our initials, it was a so-stupid-but-there’s-a-ring-to-it moment when we thought of it.

Melissa: I was a classically trained pianist since I was a kid and studied voice and guitar as well. I’ve been performing professionally since the formation of my rock band June Divided in 2011. We did a lot of shows and touring in the 2010’s: Warped Tour, played with 21 Pilots, Walk The Moon, Pretty Reckless, Rise Against, and our EP Body Wars hit the Billboard Charts in 2018. I also did a few solo records too, my first one on Chesky Records in 2016, and then I released my second and latest record, Echo The Optimist, independently in 2023. We all teach music at Delco Let There Be Rock School so we’ve worked together for a while. I had asked Karina and Ange to do harmonies for my record release show and that’s when we realized how well our voices blend and how much we loved working on music together! We’ve been a fan of each others’ work for so long so it made sense. A year later and The MAKs were official.

Ange: I’ve been performing on stage since I was a kid. By twelve, I was performing at local venues and events. I grew up in the world of theater and choir, which eventually led to some unforgettable moments — like singing at Carnegie Hall with Sarah McLachlan and performing live with Foreigner. I studied classical voice at Boyer College of Music and dipped into jazz at UArts, which gave me a solid foundation and the freedom to explore different styles. Over the years, I’ve worked as a backing and session vocalist for a range of artists.
Since 2014, I’ve been teaching voice, piano, ukulele, and directing bands at Let There Be Rock School. My band ZUPANG is currently on hiatus, but the music never stops in the background! Working with Mel and Karina at the school and in The MAKs has been such an amazing experience. We are just getting started and I cannot wait to see where this adventure goes! 

Karina: I’ve been singing for as long as I can remember, starting with choir throughout school, which laid the foundation for everything I do now. When I was 17, I began taking music lessons at the Delco Let There Be Rock School, where I truly found my voice as a songwriter and performer. It’s been a full-circle moment getting to work there now—teaching and mentoring young musicians in the same place that helped shape who I am today.
From there, I went on to study Music Business at Temple University, combining my passion for music with a deeper understanding of the industry. In addition to going to school for music business, I also started my band Valendina, an alt-rock/pop-punk project that has since built a name for itself in the Tri-State area. We’ve been featured in several Philly news outlets and were recently on PHL 17 celebrating the release of our latest single, “Ricky Bobby.” Outside of performing, I’ve always been an avid supporter of the local music scene. I truly believe in the power of community and constantly encourage others to show up, support each other, and help keep local music alive.

Q: What inspired you to interpret the prompt “belong” the way you did?

The MAKs: We threw around a lot of ideas but settled on this thought: “where you think you belong, may not be where you actually belong, if you dare to go with the wind” 
 
Q: Can you tell us about your process? Are you lyrics-first, hook-first, etc.?

The MAKs: Fun fact: this was the first song we ever truly cowrote together! We have an upcoming record in the works, but so far it’s been comprised of songs that we’ve written individually. For “The Boulder,” Mel had the guitar part and some of the melody to start. We were writing it on Mel’s deck and it was windy. Looking at the first line of the first verse, Ange said “They say we should go with the wind…” And then Mel and Karina both said “…but I am a boulder?” At first we laughed at the thought but then we realized it was a cool metaphor for being stuck in once place, as boulders are something in nature that’s not easily moved by the wind. We kept exploring the nature theme, and the rest sort of just gelled together. The best part about the collab was that we kept challenging each other on the lyrics – the bar kept getting higher and higher. We’re pretty keen with our three-part harmonies so those fell naturally into place. Karina usually takes the highs, Mel is the mids and Ange is the lows – sometimes we swap but that’s the usual formation. For this song’s lead vocals, it felt natural that Mel take the first verse, Ange take the second and Karina take the bridge. We shot the video the next morning and that was a wrap. 

Q: What artists are inspiring you right now?

The MAKs: We’ll state the obvious first: boygenius (and all its members individually), Fleetwood Mac, Haim, Joni Mitchell. We also love Maggie Rogers, Holly Humberstone, Laura Marling, Best Bear, Mt Joy, Samia, Lumineers. 
 
Q: Where can people go to hear more of your music?

The MAKs: We have a single out called “Milky Way”, and a cover of Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” that you can find wherever you get your music. We have another single called “Liar” coming soon, and a whole record (including “The Boulder”) to follow! Keep up with what we’re up to on social media at @themaksmusic.

Madhavi Devi

Born in Jackson, New Jersey, and based in Asbury Park, Madhavi Devi is a singer-songwriter with pop/rock leanings. She entered the 24 Hour Song Challenge with the soft, sublime “Pocket.”

Q: How long have you been performing? Are you primarily a solo artist, or do you play in other bands?
 
A: I’ve been performing since I was a kid; I played acoustic for a really long time and did open mics and stuff like that, and then I started playing with a band in high school. I met the band I have now about two years ago and we’ve been playing together ever since. They’re so supportive of me and my music, and I wouldn’t be the artist I am without them. 

Q: What inspired you to interpret the prompt “belong” the way you did?

A: When I thought about belonging somewhere, I thought about fitting in, which sparked this physical image of trying to force something where it doesn’t belong, just for the sake of trying to fit in. I just moved to Asbury Park and started a new job, and it’s been taking me a while to get acclimated and find my pocket. I like turning colloquialisms like that into imagery that’s tangible, and so it became jeans, car keys, sometimes other people, but more importantly myself with time and patience. 
 
Q: Can you tell us about your process? Are you lyrics-first, hook-first, etc?

A: Most of the time I’m lyric-first; I jot down a lot of ideas in my notes app as things hit me. I wrote the song for this challenge while I was at work, and it was honestly a strange meditative process. I was going through my shift serving tables repeating the lines to myself to see where it would take me. I love to edit myself too and revisit my songs later to then put chords to it. 
 
Q: What artists are inspiring you right now?

A: I’m super inspired by Medium Build and Samia right now. I feel like their music is so raw and honest, and I think they both have this sense of lyrical courage that pushes me to be more vulnerable in my own music. I’m also constantly inspired by my friends & the people in my community like Screenager and Abby Kenna. 
 
Q: Where can people go to hear more of your music?

A: I don’t have any shows lined up at the moment, but you can find me anywhere you stream music as Madhavi Devi, on Instagram @madhavi.devi, TikTok @madhavids, and Youtube as Madhavi Devi.