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SWV

From Alfawiki
SWV
Company typeVocal group
IndustryMusic
Founded1988
Headquarters
New York City
,
United States
ProductsStudio albums, singles

SWV (an acronym for Sisters with Voices) is a vocal trio specializing in American R&B music, originating from New York City. The group is composed of Cheryl "Coko" Gamble, Tamara "Taj" Johnson-George, and Leanne "Lelee" Lyons. Initially established in 1988 as a gospel ensemble, SWV rose to prominence as one of the most influential R&B groups during the 1990s. Their notable chart-topping tracks include the Billboard Hot 100 number-one hit "Weak" alongside other top ten singles such as "Right Here (Human Nature Remix)", "I'm So into You", and "You're the One". After disbanding in 1998 to focus on individual careers, they reunited in 2005.

Formation and Initial Breakthrough

The creation of SWV began with Cheryl "Coko" Gamble and Leanne "Lelee" Lyons, who later brought Tamara "Taj" Johnson into the group. An original fourth member, Samantha, joined briefly but departed early on. Managed by Maureen Singleton, their demo recordings were widely circulated across the country, often accompanied by Perrier bottles as a unique marketing tactic aimed at catching the attention of record label executives. Their live showcase for RCA executives in 1991 ultimately resulted in securing a contract for eight albums.

1992–1995: It's About Time and The Remixes

Their first studio album, It's About Time, was launched by RCA Records on October 27, 1992. The album achieved multi-platinum status from the RIAA, with shipments exceeding two million units. The lead single "Right Here" climbed to No. 13 on the R&B charts. Following singles included "I'm So into You", which reached No. 2 on R&B and No. 6 on the Hot 100, and "Weak", which topped both charts at No. 1. The remix titled "Right Here/Human Nature", incorporating Michael Jackson's "Human Nature" and featuring Pharrell Williams' rap verse, dominated the R&B charts for seven consecutive weeks and peaked at No. 2 on the Hot 100 in 1993. Additional singles such as "Downtown" (No. 2 R&B) and "You're Always on My Mind" (No. 8 R&B) also achieved top ten status. The album itself reached No. 8 on the US Billboard 200 chart.

Building on this success, SWV contributed the track "Anything" to the Above the Rim soundtrack, which entered the R&B top ten and reached No. 18 on the Hot 100 during spring 1994. Later that year, they released The Remixes, which earned gold certification by year's end. In mid-1995, SWV lent their vocals to Blackstreet's Top 40 R&B single "Tonight's the Night" and recorded "All Night Long" for the Waiting to Exhale: Original Soundtrack Album.

1996–1997: New Beginning, Release Some Tension, and A Special Christmas

New Beginning, their sophomore album, was released on April 23, 1996. Its lead single "You're the One" reached number five on the Billboard Hot 100 and secured the top position on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles chart. The follow-up single "Use Your Heart", marking production debut for The Neptunes, peaked at number twenty-two on the Hot 100 and number six on R&B charts. The final single from this album, "It's All About U," featured Taj as lead vocalist. This release was certified platinum in the United States after shipping one million copies.

Their third studio project, Release Some Tension, arrived on July 29, 1997, showcasing collaborations with artists including E-40, Puff Daddy, Missy Elliott, Foxy Brown, Lil' Cease, Lil' Kim, Snoop Doggy Dogg, and Redman. Singles such as "Rain", "Someone", and "Can We" from the Booty Call soundtrack were featured prominently. Despite Puff Daddy’s involvement, "Someone" peaked at No. 19 on charts. The album attained gold certification with shipments totaling half a million copies domestically. On November 18, 1997, SWV released A Special Christmas, a holiday-themed collection blending classic covers with original songs under RCA Records. This project was their second-to-last before their split in 1998.

1998–2010: Breakup and Reunion

Following their 1998 disbandment, the members embarked on individual paths. Coko launched her solo career with the album Hot Coko in August 1999 under RCA Records; its lead single "Sunshine" entered the R&B Top 40 but did not achieve the widespread acclaim SWV garnered. A subsequent solo album, Music Doll, was ultimately shelved when RCA shuttered its black music division. Coko then prioritized her family life and married gospel producer Mike "Big Mike" Clemmons.

In 2001, Coko teamed up with her mother to record a rendition of "Tears in Heaven" for the compilation Rhythm and Spirit: "Love Can Build a Bridge". She appeared on Brent Jones & TP Mobb's track "Midnite" (2002) and contributed to Youthful Praise's gospel album Thank You for the Change (2003). Her gospel solo debut, Grateful, released on October 31, 2006, debuted at number five on Billboard’s Top Independent Albums chart. The record features a cover of The Clark Sisters' "Endow Me", performed alongside Faith Evans, Fantasia Barrino, and Lil Mo. A special Wal-Mart edition included two additional bonus tracks.

Coko also participated in an all-African-American touring ensemble of The Vagina Monologues, performing alongside prominent artists, and appeared on the Billboard Live Tour in Japan.

In 2005, SWV reunited with plans for a new album that ultimately did not come to fruition. They shared stages with groups such as After 7, Bobby Brown, New Edition, and Blackstreet in 2007. Taj was featured on TV One’s reality show I Married a Baller, which chronicled her life with husband Eddie George; meanwhile, Coko and Lelee contributed vocals to the program’s theme song.

On June 24, 2008, SWV performed alongside Alicia Keys at the BET Awards, joining forces with En Vogue and TLC for collaborative numbers. Taj competed on Survivor: Tocantins, finishing in fourth place and serving as a jury member. In 2009, she toured nationally with an all-black cast of The Vagina Monologues.

In February 2010, SWV appeared on The Mo'Nique Show, delivering a rendition of Patti LaBelle's "If Only You Knew", with Lelee and Coko sharing lead vocal duties.

2011–present: I Missed Us, Reality Television, and Still

In 2011, SWV inked deals with Mass Appeal Entertainment and E1 Entertainment. On June 10, they were featured on Chris Brown's remix of their classic "Right Here/Human Nature," titled "She Ain't You". December 15 saw the release of "Co-Sign" via iTunes as the lead single from their fourth studio album, I Missed Us. VH1 ranked SWV at number 88 on its list of the 100 Greatest Women in Music, while Billboard designated them as the seventh top R&B act and second highest selling/airplay R&B female group of the 1990s. The album’s tracklist was unveiled on Amazon.com prior to its April 17, 2012 release through eOne Music and Mass Appeal Entertainment.

To promote I Missed Us, SWV performed "Co-Sign" on The Wendy Williams Show on April 17, 2012. The album achieved number one status on the iTunes R&B albums chart. On June 1, they announced "Love Unconditionally" as the follow-up single. Additionally, on June 28, 2012, "I'm So into You" from their triple-platinum album It's About Time was ranked eighteenth on VH1's list of the 40 Greatest R&B Songs of the '90s.

SWV took the stage at Black Girls Rock! on BET on November 4, 2012. During the Essence Music Festival on July 7, 2013, they revealed plans for a reality series on We TV that would explore their personal lives and career journey—including their split in 1998 and eventual reunion. The show, titled SWV Reunited, debuted January 16, 2014 with six episodes; its second season expanded to twelve episodes in August. The series delved into lingering trust issues from their breakup, efforts to revitalize their brand, challenges encountered while touring and recording, contractual disputes, as well as personal matters such as Coko’s gospel music pursuits and Taj’s health struggles. A track recorded during filming, "Ain't No Man", was released as a promotional single on August 7, 2015.

On November 6, 2015, Coko announced via Instagram that WE tv had canceled SWV Reunited. She also disclosed that their fifth studio album would be titled Still, slated for release February 5, 2016. Taj later revealed on The View (December 10) that "Still" was available for pre-order alongside a second single named "MCE (Man Crush Everyday)".

In 2017, SWV collaborated with Bell Biv DeVoe on "Finally," which served as the second single from BBD's album Three Stripes. That year they were honored with the "Lady of Soul Award" at the 2017 Soul Train Music Awards.

In April 2019, SWV joined forces with hip-hop trio Salt-N-Pepa to launch the reality series Ladies Night, which premiered on BET.

As part of Verzuz's virtual artist battles initiated in 2020, SWV faced off against Xscape in a pre-Mother's Day event held May 8, 2021. DJs AONE and Spinderella provided music support for both groups during this showcase.

Members

  • Cheryl "Coko" Gamble (born June 13, 1970, The Bronx, New York) is the group's Soprano and principal vocalist, noted for her unique high register and vocal dexterity. Coko currently lives in Virginia Beach. Her son is the rapper Lil Tracy.
  • Tamara "Taj" Johnson-George (born April 29, 1971, Brooklyn, New York) performs as the Mezzo-Soprano, bringing a style infused with jazz and blues influences. Taj is based out of Nashville.
  • Leanne "Lelee" Lyons (born July 17, 1973, The Bronx, New York) also sings Soprano, covering the lower alto range despite her lighter vocal tone. Lelee resides in Atlanta.

Discography

Studio albums

Tours

  • Weak Tour (1993, United Kingdom)
  • Budweiser Superfest 1993 alongside BBD, Silk, Shai, MC Lyte & Intro (United States)
  • SWV Live Tour (1994: UK, South Africa, Canada, US)
  • SWV World Tour (1996: US, Europe, South Africa, Asia, New Zealand)
  • Release Some Tension Tour (1998, US)
  • New Jack Swing Tour (2005: US and Canada)
  • Billboard Live Tour (2008 and 2009 in Japan)
  • SWV and Faith Evans Tour (2010, UK)
  • Fresh Music Festival (2012, US)
  • SWV Comeback Tour (2013: London and US)
  • Ladies Night Tour with Salt-N-Pepa (2018, US)
  • Summer Block Party alongside Jodeci and Dru Hill (2023, US)
  • Queens of R&B Tour scheduled for 2024

Supporting Act

Awards and nominations

Year Outcome Award Category
1993 Nominated American Music Awards Favorite New Artist – Pop/Rock
Favorite Band, Duo or Group – Soul/Rhythm & Blues
Favorite Album – Soul/Rhythm & Blues for It's About Time
Favorite New Artist – Soul / Rhythm & Blues
Kids Choice Awards Female Group of the Decade
Billboard Music Awards Top Hot 100 Single Artist – Duo/Group
Top R&B Artist – Duo/Group
Top R&B Single Artist – Duo/Group
Top Pop Artists – Duo/Group
Top New Pop Artist
Top Hot 100 Single Artist
Top Hot 100 Airplay Track for "Weak"
Top R&B Artist
Top New R&B Artist
Top R&B Album Artist – Duo/Group
Top R&B Single Artist
1994 Top R&B Singles Artist – Duo/Group
Top R&B Artist – Duo/Group
Grammy Awards Best New Artist
1998 Soul Train Music Awards Best Soul/R&B Single by a Group, Band or Duo
2012 Best Independent R&B/Soul Artist or Group
2013 Grammy Awards Best Traditional R&B Performance for "If Only You Knew"
2017 Won Soul Train Music Awards Soul Train Lady of Soul Award


See also

External links

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