Khalil Amaru is the WXPN 24 Hour Song Challenge winner
The Northeast Philly songwriter's "Dear June" beat out over 300 other entries. He will perform at the XPoNential Festival in September.
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Khalil Amaru has won the WXPN-FM (88.5-FM) 24 Hour Song Challenge with his song “Dear June.”
The Northeast Philly singer-songwriter originally from Ypsilanti, Mich., was one of four finalists in the University of Pennsylvania radio station’s competition, along with Best Bear, MacKenzie Johnson, and Yuneer Gainz.
Over 300 artists entered XPN’s inaugural contest, in which artists were given a prompt of the word summertime and had a day to submit a performance of a self-penned song on that theme.
Amaru’s entry is a summertime sadness song, a soulful love song that he told the radio station is about a summer fling that turned into heartbreak.
“For most of my life, summer has been the season that brings me the most joy,” Amaru said. “But then there was that one summer — the summer where the sun didn’t quite shine so bright. The summer I fell in love and then, in an instant, fell completely out of love.”
XPN midday host Mike Vasilokos surprised Amaru with the news the he won the contest in a video call that’s posted on xpn.org.
“Wait … what?” Amaru said when he heard the news. “This means so much to me, because ‘Dear June’ came literally through tooth and nail … I was like: ‘Maybe I’ll do it next year.’ I was so tired. Something inside me told me, ‘You gotta do this … This is your time.’ This feels so good.”
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The finalists and winner were determined by a panel of judges including XPN program director Bruce Warren and host John Vettese, and singer Donn T., owner of the D-tone Victorious label and Questlove’s sister.
Each finalist won $500 honorarium, and Amru received a $1,000 prize, 10 hours of studio time at MilkBoy Recording Studio, and a performance slot at XPoNential Music Festival in September.
Amaru will also perform on Aug. 19 at I Am Phresh Studios, 12301 McNulty Road, in a release party for his new EP, Love Pains.
Watch the video for Amaru’s “Dear June” as well as the three other finalists, below.
Mackenzie Johnson, “Sunburn”
Yuneer Gainz, “Grown Man Tears”
Best Bear, “Fireworks”