Music fans everywhere have been trying to track down music legend Cheryl Lynn, after a song she made more than three decades ago went viral as a part of a dance challenge on social media.
The challenge that began with the Top Tier Shiners doing the Baltimore Strut to her 1983 hit "Encore" went viral in the fall of 2023. Not long after that, dance crews all over Charm City got a hold of it.
Next thing you know, the entire world is grooving to the classic jam all over again.
Dancing duo, Shaggy and Flash, were among those dancers who made viral videos to Encore and started receiving praise from Cheryl Lynn's X and Instagram accounts for celebrating her music through the challenge.
One problem; at the time Cheryl wasn't on either platform.
Weeks before an exclusive interview with WMAR-2 News' Good Morning Maryland, we found out an imposter made pages that gained thousands of followers and made posts claiming Cheryl was rooting for the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship game, that she would host a Tiny Desk concert in 2024, and more were all fake.
While talking with Randall Newsome, via Zoom from Studio 637 in Los Angeles, Lynn was able to clear the air.
"It was not me," Cheryl said. "I’ll say this, I’ll have to get involved..and I’ll let you know when I get involved Randall."
We were eventually able to track Cheryl down through her long-time manager Thurlene Johnson.
During the interview, she gave her take on the Encore Challenge for the first time and gave a heart felt thank you to Baltimore and all of the talented dancers that made the challenge happen.
"Listen, I love you guys. You don’t know what you’ve done!," Cheryl said. "I mean you’ve given me an 'encore'."
Even though hits like "Encore" and the disco hall of fame song "Got to Be Real" have earned her all kinds of accolades over the years, she says it still feels nice when people are still recognizing the impact she's had on music and still dancing to the music she created.
"It validates what I feel inside. I feel the warmth of the arms that are around me and the love that’s being sent my way."
Watch the video to see Cheryl's nieces and choreographers, Tia Janeine and Zonta Te'Ahnna Lynn, give their take on the Encore Challenge and their aunt's legacy.
You can also watch them put a Los Angeles twist to the Baltimore Strut.
Cheryl's nieces also run her new Instagram page:
@cheryllynnsings