Meet the Song Challenge Winners - WXPN

24 Hour Song Challenge · Philly Anthems Edition

The Flying Vees win the 24 Hour Song Challenge

Our 24 Hour Song Challenge – Philly Anthems Edition has come to a conclusion, and we’re here to tell you The Flying Vees have been named this year’s grand prize winners.

The Flying Vees, made up of Hannah Taylor, Shannon Vasile, Brechyn Chace, and Caitlin Ramsey, were selected as the winners for their submission, “Workman’s Song #1.” They told WXPN our prompt of “freedom” led them to write a song about how working people in America often defer their experience of freedom because they have to work so hard just to get by.

As our winners, The Flying Vees get $5,000, a spot to perform at the XPoNential Music Festival and Philly Music Fest, inclusion on WXPN’s Philly Anthems vinyl album, 10 hours at MilkBoy Recording Studio, a $500 gift card to Russo Music, inclusion in songwriting workshops, and a year WXPN Program Partner Membership.

We surprised The Flying Vees with the news of their victory after they performed “Workman’s Song #1” in studio. Watch the performance and reveal.

Meet the five finalists

We tasked musicians in the WXPN broadcast region to write, record, and submit an original song in 24 hours with the prompt “freedom.” More submissions came in than ever, and after thousands of listener votes, these five made the final round. The four finalists who did not take the top prize each get $500 cash, $100 gift cards to Russo Music, and a year membership to WXPN.

Grand prize winner

The Flying Vees “Workman’s Song #1”

Hannah Taylor, Shannon Vasile, Brechyn Chace, and Caitlin Ramsey of The Flying Vees said their experience with the challenge was a blast.

“I think the Flying Vees have a very magical chemistry that makes things happen easily and joyfully,” they said. “So it was all very fun. [The song] came so organically and quickly.”

Written within the span of a few hours, “Workman’s Song #1” is about how working people in America often must defer their experience of freedom because they have to work so hard just to get by.

“We don’t talk about anything explicit about Philadelphia, but I still think that it embodies the spirit of Philadelphia, which is a community of working-class people,” Vasile said. “No snobs, no phony balonies. That’s what this song is really about: having to work hard and putting off your leisure time to another day.”

Vasile said she had the lyrics down in about half an hour, and the band put the melody together quickly, too.

All the while, The Flying Vees were preparing for a show that night near Gettysburg. Taylor and Vasile hashed out some of the song’s details while en route to the performance.

“We pulled up [to the gig] and we were super excited,” Taylor said. “To Brecken and Caitlin, we were like, ‘We figured it out, we figured it out!’”

Backstage, the four worked out more of the song, performed, had a band dinner (and some drinks), then went to Chace’s house to record the song.

“By then we were loose as a goose,” Chace said.

“I listened to that video [of the song] about 52 times before I fell asleep,” Vasile said. “I was just so proud of it.”

Mackenzie Johnson “Feather”

Johnson, who is now a two-time finalist in our challenges, said the prompt “freedom” was “sort of loaded” and wondered which direction she’d take the song: patriotic? Anthemic? Something different? The latter won out.

“I kind of went inward,” she said. “The song’s really about following your intuition to me. I kind of used some sort of bird imagery, so that’s why I called it ‘Feather.’ And I felt like there’s the spiritual significance to that for me and my family because we’re Native American. I kind of just was thinking about America in that way.”

Her song, recorded on a dock in the summer heat by her cousin, is also about releasing burdens that you don’t need to carry anymore, something she admits to being guilty of at times.

“I am a worrier, so this is sort of like a mantra for me to just be more flowy with the universe and trust the signs and trust the timing,” she said.

She also said including avian imagery and symbolism was a bit of a cheeky way of shouting out the Philadelphia Eagles. “This is my roundabout way of saying, ‘Go Birds,’” she said.

Best Bear “Big Dog”

Best Bear is the indie rock project from Blue Barnett, who is also a two-time Song Challenge finalist.

Their song “Big Dog” is about “living on my own terms and not really waiting around for someone to tell me I can do what I want to do.”

Barnett first began strumming some chords on their guitar, then hummed a melody over top of it. “Then some words just kind of came out of the ether,” they said.

It wasn’t that simple, however. “Timing-wise, I just had a jam-packed schedule, and I think a lot of people did, but I was working the day of the announcement, and working the next morning, as well,” they said. “So I got home from work and stayed up all night working on the song.”

With a handful of roommates to consider when recording the song, Barnett took their guitar to the coffee shop where they work and recorded their submission there before opening up. They didn’t sleep over the 24-hour period, but being employed at a coffee shop proved beneficial.

“I feel like 10 years ago I could have [had no sleep] and it wouldn’t have been a problem,” they said. “I will say working in a coffee shop is helpful, because I just got to drown in coffee all day and have a nice excuse for it.”

Jackson Craig “What’s That Word Again”

Craig’s inspiration came from George Orwell’s 1984, with his song wondering what a world would look like if the word “freedom” were to disappear from our collective language, and who has a say in that.

“I think it’s unfortunately something that we see all the time, where history is kind of altered based on who is in power at the time,” he said.

With that in mind, Craig said his song’s second verse touches on “monuments or statues being put in the basement” and things that people don’t recognize anymore.

“[Philadelphia is] historically a place where a lot of that was kind of figured out, and there’s so many remnants of the past there that can be interpreted in different ways,” he said. “I think the structure of the city is pretty important to the song.”

The most challenging aspect for Craig was nailing a one-take recording.

“I feel like it’s easy when you’re performing a song on a stage and you just kind of have to get through it and buckle down,” he said. “There’s something about playing something to a camera and then watching it back which is just really still foreign to me.”

On the flip side, cranking out a song in that small time window made for a fun challenge. “I’m usually one to start writing songs and make one draft and then come back weeks or months later and tweak things,” he said. “I think just having the pressure of having to finish something within a few hours is exciting sometimes.”

Karlia “No Limits”

At this point in her life, Karlia Gutierrez has been faced with “fork-in-the-road” decisions, and said “freedom” led her to focus on choosing a path for herself, and maybe being a little selfish even.

“I’m starting to think about making decisions more for myself rather than my family or my friends,” she said. “That’s kind of what freedom meant to me.”

She and her collaborator, Nathaniel Lemisch, started the writing process with instrumentation.

“He came up with this little guitar riff, and then from there I found the melody, and then I worked on the lyrics, and then we started to work a bit collaboratively on the lyrics,” she said.

After about four hours, she and Lemisch had the song down.

“Typically I’ll usually write lyrics by myself, so it was a big challenge in that I had to open up a little bit and allow somebody else to write with me,” she said. But the collaboration helped her progress in the process. “We kind of took the song chunk by chunk. The chorus came first, then the verses, and then after that it was kind of just like a double chorus, added some embellishments.”

Overall, she said working quickly was a breath of fresh air, as her typical songwriting process can take time.

“It was really fun to challenge myself to kind of work quickly and efficiently and maybe not overthink so much,” she said, calling the 24-hour window freeing in a way. That’s not to say the process didn’t have some drawbacks. “Because we were on a bit of a time crunch, some of the lyrics weren’t exactly what I would have liked them to be. But then it’s that double-edged sword.”

We also want to thank all participants in this year’s song challenge and remind them that their next chance to win is less than a year away.

Prizes

Grand Prize

$5,000

One winner receives the cash honorarium plus all of the benefits below.

Included with the grand prize

$500 Russo Music gift card
10 hours at MilkBoy Recording Studio
Track on WXPN Philly Anthems album, digital + vinyl
Songwriting workshops
Live performances at XPoNential Music Festival and Philly Music Fest
1-year WXPN Program Partner Membership

Meet The Judges

Mike Vasilikos

WXPN Midday and XPN New Music Show host, Mike Vasilikos has dedicated his career to connecting listeners with the heritage music they love and introducing them to new artists, all while supporting up-and-coming local musicians.

Jim McGuinn

Jim McGuinn is WXPN’s program director and has a lifetime of experience in radio and the music industry, both as a programmer and as a songwriter/performer himself.

Raina Douris

Raina Douris, an award-winning radio personality from Toronto, Ontario, is the host and writer of NPR’s daily nationally syndicated music interview and discovery program World Cafe.

Kristen Kurtis

WXPN Morning Show Host and Assistant Music Director, Kristen Kurtis is integral in curating the songs and artists heard on WXPN. With more than 15 years in radio, Kristen has a keen ear for the sound that resonates with fellow die-hard music fans.

Bruce Warren

WXPN’s former Assistant GM for Programming and current Executive Producer of World Cafe, Bruce Warren is not only “Chief of a lot of things” at XPN, he is the quintessential music lover and artist enthusiast who’s been advocating for musicians for decades.

Erin Henrici

Erin has been volunteering with WXPN for two years, and has been a large supporter of the Philadelphia music scene for the last 10 years. When she isn’t attending concerts and festivals, she writes about new music and emerging artists on her blog, Central Tendency. She also is one of the co-founders of Philly Music Link, a centralized resource for navigating the Philly music scene.

Paige Walter

As WXPN’s Associate Digital Editor, Paige Walter covers the live music scene in Philly and beyond. You can find her photography and coverage on XPN.org and all of XPN’s social channels.

Sadie Gust

With her powerful, soulful vocals and songwriting chops beyond her years, Sadie Gust won the 2025 24 Hour Song Challenge with the song “Split,” which she performed with her band at the XPoNential Music Festival last fall.

John Faye

John Faye is a singer-songwriter who has had a prolific multi-decade career as the voice of the Caulfields, IKE, John & Brittany, and his solo work. John taught songwriting at Drexel University from 2005-2021, and has mentored thousands of aspiring musicians throughout his career.

FAQ

How do I submit my song?

On June 6 this page will be updated to have both the prompt and the form where you can submit your song.

Where do I have to live to be eligible?

You are required to have your primary residence in WXPN’s FM listening areas to be eligible. This includes all of WXPN’s frequencies including:

88.5 FM Philadelphia/South Jersey/Wilmington
91.9 FM North Jersey/Poconos
88.7 FM Lancaster/York
90.5 FM Worton/Baltimore
99.7 FM Harrisburg

If you can hear us on your FM radio in your primary residence, then you are eligible.

Does the production quality of the audio and video get judged?

We will not judge the production quality of the audio and video. But providing us with the best audio and video you can helps to ensure we can focus on your songwriting.

What if I have a songwriting partner or I submit our song as a band?

You can submit as the sole songwriter, a group of songwriters or a band.

Can I submit more than one song?

You can only submit one song.

Are there any rules about age to submit?

All entrants including any performers on the song and appearing in the video must be at least 18 years of age at the time of the recording.

What if I’m signed to a record label or have artist management/agency representation? Can I still participate?

You cannot currently be signed to any record labels. However, if you self-release your own recordings then you are eligible. If you have management/agency representation but believe you still qualify as an independent artist, please contact us and we will determine your eligibility.

Do I have to include the word(s) in the contest’s prompt in my song?

There are no parameters as to how you choose to integrate the prompt into your song. It can be overt, subtle, metaphoric, direct, indirect, etc.

Can I use AI (artificial intelligence software) to help me with my songwriting?

The spirit of this contest is all about HUMAN songwriting. So please no use of AI software. Remember, WXPN is rhythms not algorithms!

Can I use song ideas I already have in development?

We ask that you develop your song from scratch in the 24-hour period.

Can I sample other musicians’ work in my original song?

Your submission cannot contain material that could violate intellectual property rights or that could be copyright infringement. Your video also should not feature any music that you did not originally write and perform. Unfortunately, sampling falls under these categories.

I use beats, loops and effects to write my songs. Am I eligible to submit?

If your beats, loops and effects are original and do not contain any copyrighted material then you can submit your song.

Can I have other musicians perform the song I wrote?

Yes. You are not required to perform your song in the studio. The songwriter(s) should complete the registration and submit the song. There will be a place in the registration to list the performer(s) of the song. However, only the songwriter(s) will be considered eligible for the prizes.

Do the musicians/performers need to appear in the video or can I submit the audio of the song with other imagery in the video?

The song must be performed live in the video with the musicians/performers appearing.

If the song I sing or perform on is written by someone else, and it wins a finalist or grand prize, who gets the prize?

The songwriter(s) listed in the registration will be the sole recipient of any prizes. It is fully up to the songwriter(s) to determine if/how they decide to share in any prizes.

If I sing or perform on a song submitted by someone else, can I still submit my own song that I wrote?

Yes you can. However, remember you may only submit one song that you are listed as the songwriter.

Official Rules

Contest Timeline

The WXPN 24-Hour Song Challenge (the “Contest”) submission period begins at 12:00 pm EST on June 6, 2026 and ends at 11:59 am EST on June 7, 2026 (the “Submission Period”). WXPN’s clock is the official timekeeping device for the Contest.

The Contest judging period begins on or about June 9, 2026 and ends on or about June 24, 2026 (the “Judging Period”).

Five (5) submissions being considered for the Grand Prize (the “Finalists”) will be publicly announced no later than July 14, 2026 and the Grand Prize Winner will be publicly announced shortly thereafter. We will contact the Finalists and Grand Prize Winner directly via email and/or phone.

Eligibility

The Contest is open to all individuals and groups (the “Entrant(s)”) who are named as writer or a group of writers of the original song (the “Song”) submitted to the Contest.

Each Entrant (and all members of a group) must be at least eighteen (18) years of age at the time of entry. If the entrant is a group, all individuals’ names must be listed.

The following individuals are not eligible to enter or win a prize: employees of WXPN and their immediate family members, and employees and their family members of any businesses who are official sponsors of the Contest.

An Entrant (either individually or as a group) can only submit one (1) Song.

Entrants must have their primary residence be in WXPN’s terrestrial broadcast listening areas (WXPN, WXPH, WXPJ, and WKHS).

Independent musician(s) who self-release their own recordings are eligible. Entrants must not be signed to any major or independent labels for distribution. WXPN will make any and all final determinations as to Entrant(s)’ status as independent musician(s).

How To Enter

In order to submit a Song to the Contest, contestants must register via an online form at songchallenge.xpn.org no later than June 3, 2026 at 11:59 pm EST.

To enter the Contest, you must create a video (the “Entry Video”) under five (5) minutes in length of the performance of a single, original song by the end of the Submission Period that is inspired by a thematic prompt (the “Prompt”) that WXPN will announce on June 6, 2026 at 12 pm EST.

Submit a hyperlink to an embeddable, publicly viewable recording of the Entry Video to YouTube by the end of the Submission Period on June 7, 2026 at 11:59 am EST.

Entry Guidelines

The Entry Video must:

contain a Song that is the original work of the Entrant (or all members of an Entrant, if a group). Covers of other songwriters’ or performers’ songs will not be accepted.
be inspired by the Prompt that WXPN establishes. There are no parameters as to how you choose to integrate the Prompt into your Song. It can be overt, subtle, metaphoric, direct, indirect, etc.
be created specifically for the Contest and not have appeared on any previous media streaming platform, such as Spotify, YouTube, Apple Music, or SoundCloud.
be a maximum five (5) minutes in length.

Entrants are permitted to have musicians/singers (“Performers”) other than themselves perform the Song. Performers are not eligible to receive any prizes directly from WXPN.

You represent that the Entry Video and Song does not:

contain material that violates or infringes another’s rights, including privacy, publicity, copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property rights;
contain material that is indecent, lewd, pornographic, obscene, profane, hateful, defamatory, slanderous or libelous;
promote discrimination against or contempt for other people on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, caste, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, religious affiliation, age, disability, or disease;
contain material that violates any federal, state, or local laws or ordinances;
contain material generated by any Artificial Intelligence (AI) software.

By submitting a Song and Entry Video, Entrant further represents and warrants that:

The Song, including the musical composition, are Entrant(s)’ original work of authorship and Entrant(s) are the sole creator and author of the Song, including the musical composition.
The Entry Video is Entrant(s)’ own original work of authorship or that Entrant(s) has all rights necessary to submit the Entry Video, including without limitation, the title or rights in any content, trademarks, artwork, text, and/or music featured in the Entry Video.
Entrant has the right to grant WXPN the rights and licenses to use the Song, including the musical composition, and Entry Video. Use in any form includes but is not limited to: social media posts, on-air playback, on-air promotions, streaming playback, and website coverage.

WXPN claims no rights in the ownership of the Song or Entry Video. WXPN claims no rights in the ownership of the materials you submit in conjunction with the Contest. By submitting a Song and Entry Video through the Contest, you hereby grant WXPN a limited, non-exclusive license to use, stream, transmit, beam, store, publicly display, translate, reproduce, and distribute the Song and Entry Video, in any format, whether known or unknown, including the limited right to use your likeness, persona, logo, trademark, and right(s) of publicity.

WXPN reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to disqualify any Entrant if WXPN does not believe that the Song and Entry Video qualifies under the Entry Guidelines or any other terms and conditions of the Official Rules.

Judging

All eligible Songs and Entry Videos that meet the requirements of the Entry Guidelines and Official Rules will be reviewed by a panel of judges selected by WXPN that will consist of WXPN staff, member(s), volunteer(s) as well as outside musicians. WXPN’s Program Director along with the Contest judges will have the final decision on the Finalists and the Grand Prize winner. Additionally there will be a public voting component and those results will be considered in the final determination of the Finalists and Grand Prize winner.

Songs and Entry Videos will be judged on the following criteria:

Lyrics – 40%
Composition/Melody – 40%
Performance – 20%

Video and audio quality/presentation is not an official criteria for the Contest. However, we encourage Entrants to provide the highest quality they are reasonably able to in order to best present their Song and Entry Video.

Prizes

There will be Five (5) Finalists selected. One of these Five (5) Finalists will be selected as the Grand Prize winner.

All Finalists will be announced no later than July 14, 2026 and the Grand Prize winner will be announced shortly thereafter.

Prizes will be awarded jointly to the Entrant(s).

The Grand Prize winner will receive:

Five Thousand US Dollars ($5,000) honorarium
Five Hundred US Dollars ($500) gift card to Russo Music
Ten (10) hours of studio time at MilkBoy Recording Studio
A spot to perform the winning Song live at the XPoNential Music Festival & the Philly Music Fest
Winning song to be featured as a track on WXPN Philly Anthems album, digital + vinyl
Songwriting workshops organized by WXPN
One (1) year WXPN Program Partner Membership

The remaining Finalists will receive:

Five Hundred US Dollars ($500) honorarium
Two Hundred US Dollars ($200) gift card to Russo Music
One (1) year XPN Membership

The WXPN 24-Hour Song Challenge – Philly Anthems Edition has been supported by The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage.