Happy New Year, everyone!
2024 was a good year for music, from musical milestones to seeing a fantastic concert on my cruise vacation in June 2024.
There were quite a few musical milestones in the music world, including four of them just for Queen alone, the 40th anniversary: Radio Ga Ga (January 16), I Want To Break Free (April 2), It’s a Hard Life (July 16), and Thank God It’s Christmas (November 26) – all them marked the 40th anniversary of these fantastic songs. There were also one for Wham’s Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go (May 14), Stevie Wonder’s I Just Called To Say I Love You (August 1) and Sade’s Smooth Operator (August 28), marking the 40th anniversary. So many songs marked a significant milestone in 2024. It was a joy to listen to these classics. Other milestones were to honour those who passed away, like the 20th anniversary of Sacha Distel’s passing on July 22, 2024. I will continue to honour these musical milestones.
2024 was also a year when I had writer’s block. Whenever this happened, I took breaks and sometimes went out for a walk or waited till the next day to work on it. I also reminded myself, which I do a lot, that Freddie Mercury (yes, the frontman of Queen) had his moments of writer’s block and that he overcame it. I think of when he came up with Bohemian Rhapsody (combining three songs he had into one) and how he wrote Crazy Little Thing Loved in ten minutes. These stories remind me that anything is possible. Thank you, Freddie Mercury, for being a source of inspiration.
This past year, I made incredible musical discoveries, including the top three: Arthur Picari, Sacha, and Slimane. I remember watching Arthur Picari at a concert on my cruise in June 2024. His music is incredible, and he gave an impressive performance. I heard Sacha and Slimane’s songs on TV, and hearing their respective songs was remarkable. There were so many talents I got to discover throughout the past year.
Sadly, quite a few artists and producers, including Liam Payne and Quincy Jones, have passed away in the past year. The one that hit me the hardest was Liam Payne, passing away at just the age of 31. It was a hard time for me. However, I will do my best to honour the legacy of those we lost this past year.
May 2025 bring us love, health, hope, joy, and happiness. I look forward to discovering more incredible talents and honouring as many musical milestones as possible. Music is a great way to unite everyone. It’s universal and timeless. It also brings comfort and joy when dealing with challenging times. I wish you all the best for the new year. I will take a break from blogging and look forward to writing more articles.
Here’s an affirmation for 2025:
“Today, I stand at the beginning of a new year, filled with promise, hope, and opportunity. I release the weight of yesterday and step boldly into the light of a fresh start. Each moment is a chance to grow, to love, and to create the life I deserve. My dreams are within reach, and I trust the journey ahead will bring me closer to my highest self. Today, I choose courage over fear, gratitude over doubt, and joy over hesitation. This is my year to shine, and it begins right now.”
Happy New Year 2025!
Flora Youssef
