June 1, 2025, marks the 10th anniversary of MusiFlo. It’s an honour to mark this milestone with my readers and followers. Wow, time flies! I can’t believe it’s been 10 years since I wrote on this blog. I have discovered a wide range of music over the years. It’s a blessing to share with you all.
Origin Story
It all started in May 2015 when I got the idea to start this blog while chatting with a friend of mine. I was going through a difficult time and needed comfort from family and friends. I admit this blog started as a distraction and a way to cope with grief. However, things began to change when I posted my first article on June 1 2015.
At first, I had no idea what I was doing and didn’t organise my thoughts like I do now. It took a few years to get the swing of things. Over time, I decided to post about the hidden gems of the music scene, the underdogs of the music scene. Additionally, I celebrated various musical milestones, including the 30th Anniversary of Freddie Mercury’s passing, the 40th anniversary of various Queen singles in 2024, the 30th Anniversary of Kurt Cobain’s passing, and the 25th Anniversary of Westlife’s Swear It Again.
The Freddie Mercury article was the most personal and profound article I wrote, as I am a fan of Queen. It was so much fun to write. I remember spending two weeks looking for images for social media posts and reading so much about the late frontman of Queen. I remember the challenge of ensuring that I didn’t confuse pictures of the real Freddie Mercury with those of Rami Malek as Freddie Mercury in the biopic Bohemian Rhapsody (in some cases, he really did look like him). I sincerely enjoyed writing this article. It’s my favourite one, as it’s the most personal one I’ve written.
I also enjoy writing editorials for various music awards and musical films (i.e. Bohemian Rhapsody and Wicked). It was also enjoyable to listen to the soundtracks. Keeping track of the latest musical movie is exciting.
I look forward to discovering more of them, especially when they bring back memories (i.e. Wicked and Brbie). The music awards are fun to watch as they also allow me to discover more artists/bands that I may not easily think of.
Writing Style
When I first started writing articles for MusiFlo, I didn’t know what I was doing, as mentioned before. Then, within the first three years, I got the swing of things. I even created time-specific articles: Single Saturdays, First Album/EP Fridays, First Single Fridays, and Soundtrack Saturdays. It helps organise my blog more effectively. Whenever there’s a music biopic or a musical, I get excited. It’s an opportunity to learn about an artist, especially if it’s a musician. When it’s a musical, I get to see incredible musical numbers and impressive choreography.
I recall writing brief bios with the music genre right at the top, and the review wasn’t much. Looking back, I realise that everything takes time and practice to prove. I have been writing the structure of music, voice, and lyrics cs. This system works for me and creates consistency. In writing and any creative endeavour, it takes time and practice. Don’t feel discouraged if you struggle. One has to start somewhere.
For each article, I often create an outline to get an idea of what I will write. I do so with a notebook, which may seem old-fashioned, but I like
writing by hand when I can. It reminds me of journaling but for my music. I enjoy researching who wrote and composed the song(s), and if the information is available, I mention them whenever possible. If there’s a story, it makes the song even more interesting.
Sometimes, when I pay tribute to an artist on the anniversary of their passing, it’s a different type of article. I read their biographies on various sites. Then, I find ways to honour them and the legacy they leave behind. However, I’ve occasionally made challenging decisions not to write an article due to controversial news about it at the time of writing. I know it was the right thing to do.
Occasionally, I take a break from writing here and there, either for vacations, sick days, or because of a significant news event. I appreciate the flexibility I have when working on my board. I do my best to find music that differs from the mainstream, but I also honour the big names for their contribution to music, especially those no longer with us.
Music has been a great passion of mine for as long as I can remember. There’s so much to discover. It’s been a fantastic journey looking for those musical gems.
Discovering New Things
It’s been incredible discovering musical gems over the past 10 years of writing this blog. What fascinates me the most is the fusion of genres, as seen in my article about Ulytau, a band that combines folk metal and Neo-Classical Metal. It was impressive to listen to them. I recently learned about Downtempo when I listened to Giulio Cercato’s music for a couple of my articles (Good Vibes and Heartstop). I want to thank a friend for posting this song on his Instagram story. I found my inspiration. I learned a great deal about artists by reading their biographies, researching information about their songs on Apple Music, and following their social media accounts. It helps to understand their music better and provides a window into their world, creating a personal vibe.
I look forward to sharing more of my findings. It’s been an incredible experience doing this for 10 years.
In honour of this occasion, I will reveal my new logo for MusiFlo. I designed it and feel blessed to share it with all of you.
Thank you to my fellow readers and social media followers.
Flora Youssef
