This week I would like to focus on SWV. Also known as Sisters With Voices, is an American Grammy-award nominated female R&B/Pop trio from New York. Formed in 1990, SWV had a series of hits, including "Weak", "Right Here/Human Nature", "I'm So Into You". The group disbanded in 1999 and pursued solo projects in different genres. SWV is currently ranked #100 on Top 500 Pop Artists of the Past 25 Years. They have also gone on to sell over 15 million albums worldwide.
SWV (an acronym for Sisters With Voices) was formed by three friends: Cheryl "Coko" Gamble-Clemons, Tamara "Taj" Johnson-George and Leanne "Lelee" Lyons. SWV got their start when they sent a 5 song demo to over 15 major record labels in the U.S. They scored a record deal with RCA Records after producer Teddy Riley, a former member of Guy, heard their demo. With Riley's help, the group's 1992 debut album, It's About Time, went double platinum and produced several Top Ten hits..[1] Initially the girls had named themselves TLC (Taj, Lele & Coko), but were beaten to the name by r&b girl group TLC just 2 weeks earlier.
In 1996 - 1997, SWV released their third album, Release Some Tension followed by the release of A Special Christmas, the group's last studio album. Shortly after the release of A Special Christmas, SWV parted ways to pursue various solo projects.
Tamara "Taj" Johnson-George is currently a contestant on reality the show Survivor: Tocantins.[3] She will participate in a 2009 national tour of the Vagina Monologues with an all-black cast, most of whom are also former reality show contestants.[4]
On June 24, 2008, SWV made a special appearance at the BET Awards of 2008, performing "Weak" with Alicia Keys. They also sang the chorus to TLC's "Waterfalls". Coko currently resides in Virginia Beach. Lelee currently resides in Atlanta and Taj currently resides in Nashville.
Here's my favorite SWV song...
