CYNTHIA SCHLOSS
Jamaican mezzo-soprano Cynthia Schloss found her breakthrough moment in 1971 at the first edition of Merritone Amateur Talent Exposure, where she triumphed in the finals with her rendition of Peggy Seeger’s First Time Ever I Saw Your Face. Following her win, she became a staple in live performances, gracing both show venues and the hotel circuit. Her journey into recording started under the wings of her husband, Winston “Merritone” Blake, a key figure in Jamaica’s music scene as a sound system operator, producer, night-club owner, and promoter. He produced her first chart success in 1974, the single Words Are Impossible, a cover of American singer Margie Joseph’s hit song. Over the course of her career, she released four studio albums and left a lasting impression with beloved ballads such as Love Me Forever, which sold over 100,000 copies.