SWV (Sisters with Voices) is an American
R&B vocal trio from New York City whose members are Cheryl (Coko) Gamble, Tamara (Taj) Johnson, and Leanne (Lelee) Lyons. Formed in 1988 as a
gospel
Gospel originally meant the Christian message ("the gospel"), but in the 2nd century it came to be used also for the books in which the message was set out. In this sense a gospel can be defined as a loose-knit, episodic narrative of the words an ...
group, SWV became one of the most successful R&B groups of the 1990s. They had a series of hits, including "
Weak
Weak may refer to:
Songs
* "Weak" (AJR song), 2016
* "Weak" (Melanie C song), 2011
* "Weak" (SWV song), 1993
* "Weak" (Skunk Anansie song), 1995
* "Weak", a song by Seether from '' Seether: 2002-2013''
Television episodes
* "Weak" (''Fear t ...
", "
Right Here (Human Nature Remix)", "
I'm So into You
"I'm So into You" is a song recorded by American R&B vocal trio SWV for their debut studio album, '' It's About Time'' (1992). Written and produced by Brian Alexander Morgan, the song was released in January 1993 as the second single from the ...
", and "
You're the One". The group disbanded in 1998 to pursue solo projects and reunited in 2005. SWV has sold more than 25 million records worldwide, making them one of the
best-selling girl groups of all time.
Biography
Early life and big break
SWV was formed by
Cheryl "Coko" Gamble,
Tamara "Taj" Johnson, and
Leanne "Lelee" Lyons
Leanne Clency Lyons (born July 17, 1973), better known by her stage name Lelee, is an American singer and television personality. Lyons is the founding member of the American vocal trio Sisters with Voices (SWV).
Early life
Born Leanne Cle ...
(with Lelee and Coko as founding members). After getting their demo together, their manager at the time, Maureen Singleton sent out demo tapes along with bottles of Perrier ("We couldn't afford champagne", says Taj) to catch the attention of record execs all over America. In 1991, after being invited to sing live in front of RCA executives, SWV was signed to an eight-album record deal.
1992–1995: ''It's About Time'' and ''The Remixes''
''
It's About Time'', the debut studio album by SWV, was released by
RCA Records
RCA Records is an American record label currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside RCA's former long-time rival Columbia Records; also A ...
on October 27, 1992. It was certified
multi-platinum
Music recording certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped, sold, or streamed a certain number of units. The threshold quantity varies by type (such as album, single, music video) and by nation or territory (see ...
by the
RIAA
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
for more than two million copies shipped to store.
SWV's first single, "
Right Here", was released in the fall of 1992, reaching No. 13 on the R&B charts. Their second single, "
I'm So into You
"I'm So into You" is a song recorded by American R&B vocal trio SWV for their debut studio album, '' It's About Time'' (1992). Written and produced by Brian Alexander Morgan, the song was released in January 1993 as the second single from the ...
", peaked at No. 2 on R&B and reached No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100. The third single, "
Weak
Weak may refer to:
Songs
* "Weak" (AJR song), 2016
* "Weak" (Melanie C song), 2011
* "Weak" (SWV song), 1993
* "Weak" (Skunk Anansie song), 1995
* "Weak", a song by Seether from '' Seether: 2002-2013''
Television episodes
* "Weak" (''Fear t ...
", reached No. 1 on both the R&B and Hot 100 charts. "
Right Here/Human Nature
"Right Here" is the debut single of American R&B girl group SWV. It was released on August 20, 1992, as the lead single from their debut album, '' It's About Time'' (1992). A remixed version, referred to as "Right Here (Human Nature Remix)" and ...
", the fourth single and a remix of their first single, "Right Here", featured samples of
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over a ...
's hit "
Human Nature
Human nature is a concept that denotes the fundamental dispositions and characteristics—including ways of thinking, feeling, and acting—that humans are said to have naturally. The term is often used to denote the essence of humankind, or ...
".
Pharrell Williams
Pharrell Lanscilo Williams (; born April 5, 1973) is an American record producer, rapper, singer, and songwriter. Alongside close colleague Chad Hugo, he formed the hip hop and R&B production duo the Neptunes in the early 1990s, with whom he ...
performed a small rap solo on "Right Here (UK Remix)". "Right Here/Human Nature" peaked at No. 1 on R&B and No. 2 on the Hot 100 and it stayed at No. 1 on the ''Billboard'' R&B charts for 7 weeks, making it one of the longest-running singles of 1993. It was followed up with the additional Top10 R&B hits, "Downtown" (No. 2), and "You're Always on My Mind" (No. 8).
The album peaked at 8 on the US Billboard 200. Following the success of their first album, SWV appeared on the soundtrack for the 1994 film ''
Above the Rim
''Above the Rim'' is a 1994 American sports drama film co-written and directed by Jeff Pollack in his directorial debut. The screenplay was written by Barry Michael Cooper, adapted from a story by Benny Medina.
The film stars Duane Martin, Tupac ...
''. The single, "Anything", became a top ten R&B hit and reached No. 18 on the Hot 100 in the spring of 1994. That same year, SWV released ''
The Remixes'', which went gold by the end of the year. In the summer of 1995, the trio lent vocal harmonies to
Blackstreet
Blackstreet (often stylized as BLACKstreet) is an American R&B group founded in 1991 by record producers Chauncey "Black" Hannibal, and Teddy "Street" Riley. The group has released four albums with Interscope Records until 2003. They achieved ...
's Top 40 R&B hit "Tonight's the Night".
1996–1997: ''New Beginning'', ''Release Some Tension'' and ''A Special Christmas''
''
New Beginning'' was the second album from SWV. The first single, "
You're the One", became one of their signature songs peaking at number five on the
''Billboard'' Hot 100 and topped the
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles chart. The second single, "Use Your Heart", saw the debut of the super producers
The Neptunes
The Neptunes are an American songwriting and production duo composed of Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, formed in Virginia Beach, Virginia, in 1992. Williams often provides additional vocals on records and appears in the duo's music videos, ...
. This song peaked at twenty-two on the Hot 100 and number six on the R&B chart. The last single, "It's All About U", found Taj taking most of the lead as opposed to Coko. The album was certified platinum for shipping 1,000,000 copies in the U.S. alone. Also, in 1995 SWV appeared on the ''
Waiting to Exhale: Original Soundtrack Album'', recording the track, "All Night Long".
''
Release Some Tension
''Release Some Tension'' is the third studio album by American R&B vocal group SWV. It was released by RCA Records on July 29, 1997. The album guest appearances by E-40, Puff Daddy, Missy Elliott, Timbaland, Foxy Brown, Lil' Cease, Lil' Kim, Sn ...
'' is SWV's third album. Guest appearances are made by
E-40
Earl Tywone Stevens Sr. (born November 15, 1967), better known by his stage name E-40, is an American rapper. He is a founding member of the rap group The Click, and the founder of Sick Wid It Records. He has released 26 studio albums to date, a ...
,
Puff Daddy
Puff may refer to:
Science and technology
* Puff, a small quantity of gas or smoke in the air
** Puff, a light gust of wind
** Exhalation
** Inhalation
* Puff model, volcanic ash tracking model developed at the University of Alaska Fairbanks
* PUF ...
,
Missy Elliott
Melissa Arnette Elliott (born July 1, 1971), better known as Missy Elliott or Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliot, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. She embarked on her music career with R&B girl group Sista in the earl ...
,
Foxy Brown,
Lil' Cease
James Lloyd (born August 20, 1977), better known by his stage name Lil' Cease, is an American rapper and former member of hip hop group Junior M.A.F.I.A.
Early life, family and education
James Lloyd was born in New York City.
Career
As pa ...
,
Lil' Kim
Kimberly Denise Jones (born July 11, 1974), Those giving 1974 include:
*
*
*
*
* better known by her stage name Lil' Kim, is an American rapper and reality television personality. Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York City, she lived much of he ...
,
Snoop Dogg
Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. (born October 20, 1971), known professionally as Snoop Dogg (previously Snoop Doggy Dogg and briefly Snoop Lion), is an American rapper. His fame dates back to 1992 when he featured on Dr. Dre's debut solo single, " ...
y Dogg, and
Redman. The album features hits like "
Rain
Rain is water droplets that have condensed from atmospheric water vapor and then fall under gravity. Rain is a major component of the water cycle and is responsible for depositing most of the fresh water on the Earth. It provides water f ...
" (which samples
Jaco Pastorius
John Francis Anthony "Jaco" Pastorius III (; December 1, 1951 – September 21, 1987) was an American jazz bass guitar, bassist, composer and producer. He recorded albums as a solo artist and band leader and was a member of Weather Report from 1 ...
's classic "
Portrait of Tracy
"Portrait of Tracy" is a composition by American jazz bassist Jaco Pastorius. It was named after his first wife, Tracy Sexton.
The song has been sampled by American R&B trio, SWV in their hit “Rain
Rain is water droplets that have c ...
"), "
Someone
Someone may refer to:
Literature
* ''Someone'' (Edwards novel), a 2014 novel by A.M. Edwards
* ''Someone'' (McDermott novel), a 2013 novel by Alice McDermott
Songs
* "Someone" (Lee Greenwood song), 1987
* "Someone" (The Rembrandts song), 19 ...
", "
Can We
"Can We" is a song by American R&B trio SWV featuring guest vocals from Missy Elliott and production by Timbaland and Elliott. The song was eventually included on SWV's third album, ''Release Some Tension'' (1997), but was originally a hit earli ...
" (which was originally included on the
soundtrack for the
Jamie Foxx
Eric Marlon Bishop (born December 13, 1967), known professionally as Jamie Foxx, is an American actor, comedian, and singer. He became widely known for his portrayal of Ray Charles in the 2004 biographical film '' Ray'', for which he won the ...
film ''
Booty Call
''Booty Call'' is a 1997 American buddy comedy film, written by J. Stanford Parker (credited as Bootsie) and Takashi Bufford, and directed by Jeff Pollack. The film stars Jamie Foxx, Tommy Davidson, Vivica A. Fox, and Tamala Jones.
Plot
Rushon ...
''), and canceled single "
Lose My Cool
"Lose My Cool" is a song by American R&B group SWV featuring rapper Redman, released as the third single from their third studio album ''Release Some Tension''. It was unable to chart on the US ''Billboard'' Hot R&B Singles chart due to rules in ...
". "Someone", although featuring one of the biggest producers/artists of the year, Puff Daddy, only reached No. 19 on the ''Billboard'' charts which sampled
The Notorious B.I.G.
Christopher George Latore Wallace (May 21, 1972 – March 9, 1997), better known by his stage names the Notorious B.I.G., Biggie Smalls, or simply Biggie, was an American rapper. Rooted in East Coast hip hop and particularly gangsta ...
's "Ten Crack Commandment's and
Les McCann
Leslie Coleman McCann (born September 23, 1935) is an American jazz pianist and vocalist.Feather, Leonard, and Ira Gitler (2007), ''The Biographical Encyclopedia of Jazz'', p. 448. Oxford University Press.
Early life
Les McCann was born in ...
's "Valantra". "When U Cry" also sampled
Tyrone Davis
Tyrone Davis (born Tyrone D. Fettson or Tyrone D. Branch, October 3, 1937 – February 9, 2005) was an American blues and soul singer with a long list of hit records over more than 20 years. Davis had three number 1 hits on the ''Billboard'' R ...
' "In The Mood". The album was certified gold for shipping 500,000 copies in the U.S. alone
RIAA Database''A Special Christmas'', a holiday album featuring both cover versions and original material, was released in the United States on November 18, 1997, by
RCA Records
RCA Records is an American record label currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside RCA's former long-time rival Columbia Records; also A ...
. ''A Special Christmas'' would be the penultimate album the trio recorded together before they disbanded in 1998.
Coko
Cheryl Elizabeth Gamble (formerly Clemons; born June 13, 1970), better known by her stage name Coko, is an American singer-songwriter best known as the lead singer of the R&B vocal trio Sisters With Voices (SWV). Aside from her R&B career, Gamble ...
, the group's lead singer, released her first solo album in 1999.
1998–2010: Hiatus and reuniting of SWV
The group split in 1998. The members began leading their own careers. After SWV disbanded, Coko went on to release her first solo album under
RCA
The RCA Corporation was a major American electronics company, which was founded as the Radio Corporation of America in 1919. It was initially a patent trust owned by General Electric (GE), Westinghouse, AT&T Corporation and United Fruit Comp ...
, titled ''Hot Coko'', released August 1999. The first single, "Sunshine", which was dedicated to her son Jazz, reached the Top 40 position in the R&B charts that summer. However, neither the album nor the singles gathered the same mainstream success as Coko once did with SWV. Meanwhile, Coko was working on a second solo album titled ''Music Doll'' in early 2001, but RCA closed the black music division and the project was shelved. Since then, she has concentrated more on her family, and eventually married gospel producer and drummer for
Israel and New Breed
Israel Houghton (; born May 19, 1971) is an American contemporary Christian music singer, songwriter, producer and worship leader. He is usually credited as Israel & New Breed.
Musical career
Houghton produced an album by Michael Gungor, ''Big ...
, Mike "Big Mike" Clemmons, the father of her second son, Jaylen. She currently resides in Virginia Beach, Virginia. In 2001, Coko and her Mother Lady "Clyde" Tibba Gamble did a remake of the song "
Tears in Heaven
"Tears in Heaven" is a song by English guitarist, singer, and songwriter Eric Clapton and Will Jennings, written about the death of Clapton's four-year-old son, Conor. It appeared on the 1991 ''Rush'' film soundtrack. In January 1992, Clapton ...
" (originally recorded by
Eric Clapton
Eric Patrick Clapton (born 1945) is an English rock and blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is often regarded as one of the most successful and influential guitarists in rock music. Clapton ranked second in ''Rolling Stone''s list of ...
) on the album ''Rhythm and Spirit: "Love Can Build a Bridge"''. The album featured other artists such as
Jennifer Holliday
Jennifer Yvette Holliday (born October 19, 1960) is an American actress and singer. She started her career on Broadway in musicals such as ''Dreamgirls'' (1981–83), ''Your Arms Too Short to Box with God'' (1980–1981) and later became a su ...
,
Patti LaBelle
Patricia Louise Holte (born May 24, 1944), known professionally as Patti LaBelle, is an American R&B singer, actress and businesswoman.
LaBelle is referred to as the " Godmother of Soul".
She began her career in the early 1960s as lead singe ...
, and
Tramaine Hawkins
Tramaine Aunzola Richardson , (nee’ Davis) known professionally as Tramaine Hawkins (born October 11, 1951), is an American award–winning gospel music, Gospel singer whose career spans over five decades. Since beginning her career in 1966, Ha ...
. Clemons sang on the Brent Jones & TP Mobb single "Midnite" in 2002. She also appeared on Youthful Praise's 2003 gospel album ''Thank You for the Change'' singing lead on "Up There".
Coko's full gospel solo debut, ''Grateful'', was released in the United States on October 31, 2006 and debuted at No. 5 on ''Billboard''s Top Independent albums chart.
''Grateful'' includes an all-star cover of
The Clark Sisters
The Clark Sisters are an American gospel vocal group consisting of five sisters: Jacky Clark Chisholm (born 1948), Denise "Niecy" Clark-Bradford (born 1953), Elbernita "Twinkie" Clark (born 1954), Dorinda Clark-Cole (born 1957), and Karen Clark ...
' "Endow Me" which features R&B singers
Faith Evans
Faith Renée Evans (born June 10, 1973) is an American singer and actress. Born in Lakeland, Florida, and raised in New Jersey, she relocated to Los Angeles in 1991 for a career in the music business. After working as a backing vocalist for Al B ...
,
Fantasia Barrino
Fantasia Monique Barrino-Taylor (born June 30, 1984), known professionally by her mononym Fantasia, is an American R&B singer and actress. She rose to fame as the winner of the third season of the reality television series ''American Idol'' in ...
and
Lil Mo
Cynthia Karen Loving (born November 19, 1978), known professionally as Lil' Mo, is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, television and radio personality. She is best known for her 2001 single " Superwoman Pt. II", featuring then-unknown rapper ...
. An alternate version, minus Faith Evans was performed on
BET
Black Entertainment Television (acronym BET) is an American basic cable channel targeting African-American audiences. It is owned by the CBS Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Global via BET Networks and has offices in New York City, Los A ...
's ''Celebration of Gospel '07''. A special edition of ''Grateful'' only available through
Wal-Mart
Walmart Inc. (; formerly Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.) is an American multinational retail corporation that operates a chain of hypermarkets (also called supercenters), discount department stores, and grocery stores from the United States, headquarter ...
includes two bonus tracks "I Wish" and Brent Jones' "Midnite" featuring Coko on lead vocals. Coko was reported to have joined an all-black touring cast performing the critically acclaimed play ''
The Vagina Monologues
''The Vagina Monologues'' is an episodic play written in 1996 by Eve Ensler which developed and premiered at HERE Arts Center, Off-Off-Broadway in New York and was followed by an Off-Broadway run in at Westside Theatre. The play explores cons ...
'', along with
Sherri Shepherd
Sherri Shepherd (born April 22, 1967) is an American actress, comedian, author, broadcaster, and television personality. She currently hosts the daily syndicated daytime talk show, ''Sherri''. From 2007 to 2014, Shepherd was a co-host of the day ...
,
Star Jones
Starlet Marie Jones (born March 24, 1962), better known as Star Jones, is an American lawyer, journalist, television personality, fashion designer, author, and women's and diversity advocate. She is best known as one of the first co-hosts on the ...
,
Vanessa L. Williams
Vanessa Lynn Williams (born March 18, 1963) is an American singer, actress, and fashion designer. She gained recognition as the first African-American woman to receive the Miss America title when she was crowned Miss America 1984. She resigne ...
, and others. In June 2008, Coko performed in Japan for the Billboard Live Tour. She sang some of her solo hits "Sunshine", "Clap Your Hands", and the SWV song "
Right Here/Human Nature
"Right Here" is the debut single of American R&B girl group SWV. It was released on August 20, 1992, as the lead single from their debut album, '' It's About Time'' (1992). A remixed version, referred to as "Right Here (Human Nature Remix)" and ...
".
![Tajofswv](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/ca/Tajofswv.jpg)
In 2005, SWV reunited and announced plans to record a new album the following year,
which did not materialize. In 2007, the group performed dates with
After 7
After 7 is an American R&B group founded in 1987 by brothers Melvin and Kevon Edmonds, and their friend Keith Mitchell. The Edmonds brothers are the older siblings of pop/R&B singer-songwriter and record producer Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, w ...
,
Bobby Brown
Robert Barisford Brown (born February 5, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter and dancer. Brown, alongside frequent collaborator Teddy Riley, is noted as one of the pioneers of new jack swing: a fusion of hip hop and R&B. Brown started h ...
,
New Edition
New Edition is an American R&B/Pop group from the Roxbury neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, formed in 1978 by Bobby Brown. Their name is taken to mean a 'new edition' of the Jackson 5. The group reached its height of popularity in the 198 ...
, and
Blackstreet
Blackstreet (often stylized as BLACKstreet) is an American R&B group founded in 1991 by record producers Chauncey "Black" Hannibal, and Teddy "Street" Riley. The group has released four albums with Interscope Records until 2003. They achieved ...
. Also in 2007, Taj appeared in the
TV One reality series ''I Married a Baller'' which documented her life with husband
Eddie George
Edward Nathan George Jr. (born September 24, 1973) is an American football coach and former player who is the current head coach at Tennessee State. He played as a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons, primarily f ...
, former NFL player and present Nashville entrepreneur. SWV members Coko and Lelee (who sing the theme song along with Taj) appear in a couple of the show's episodes. On June 24, 2008, during a performance from
Alicia Keys
Alicia Augello Cook (born January 25, 1981), known professionally as Alicia Keys, is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. A classically trained pianist, Keys started composing songs when she was 12 and was signed at 15 years old by Col ...
at the
BET Awards
The BET Awards is an American award show that was established in 2001 by the Black Entertainment Television network to celebrate black entertainers and other minorities in music, film, sports and philanthropy. The awards, which are presented annua ...
of 2008, SWV made a special appearance with the original line up from
En Vogue
En Vogue is an American vocal girl group whose original lineup consisted of singers Terry Ellis, Dawn Robinson, Cindy Herron, and Maxine Jones. Formed in Oakland, California, in 1989, En Vogue reached No. 2 on the US Hot 100 with the single "Hol ...
and
TLC
TLC may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Television
* ''TLC'' (TV series), a 2002 British situational comedy television series that aired on BBC2
* TLC (TV network), formerly the Learning Channel, an American cable TV network
** TLC (Asia), an As ...
. SWV sang "Weak" with Alicia and later performed "Waterfalls" with the two other R&B girl bands. Coko currently resides in
Virginia Beach
Virginia Beach is an independent city located on the southeastern coast of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. The population was 459,470 at the 2020 census. Although mostly suburban in character, it is the most populous city ...
, Lelee in
Atlanta
Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...
and Taj in
Nashville
Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the seat of Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the most populous city in the state, 21st most-populous city in the U.S., and the ...
.. Taj was a contestant on ''
Survivor: Tocantins'', in which she came in fourth place. She was blindsided by her former alliance of J.T. Thomas and Stephen Fishbach. She became the sixth Jury Member. She participated in a 2009 national tour of the ''
Vagina Monologues
''The Vagina Monologues'' is an episodic play written in 1996 by Eve Ensler which developed and premiered at HERE Arts Center, Off-Off-Broadway in New York and was followed by an Off-Broadway run in at Westside Theatre. The play explores cons ...
'' with an all-black cast, most of whom are also former reality show contestants. SWV appeared on ''
The Mo'Nique Show
''The Mo'Nique Show'' is an American talk show hosted by comedian and actress Mo'Nique. Aired on BET, the series began October 5, 2009. The show's second and final season premiered on Monday, October 4, 2010.
Overview
The show ran all-new episod ...
'' on February 2, 2010, performing
Patti LaBelle
Patricia Louise Holte (born May 24, 1944), known professionally as Patti LaBelle, is an American R&B singer, actress and businesswoman.
LaBelle is referred to as the " Godmother of Soul".
She began her career in the early 1960s as lead singe ...
's "
If Only You Knew
"If Only You Knew" was a single written and produced primarily by Dexter Wansel and Cynthia Biggs for American singer Patti LaBelle's sixth solo album, ''I'm in Love Again''. It was released as the album's official first single in 1983, spendi ...
". Lelee and Coko provided the lead vocals.
2011–present: ''I Missed Us'', reality show and ''Still''
In 2011, SWV signed a record deal with Mass Appeal Entertainment and E1 Entertainment. On June 10, 2011, SWV was featured on the official remix of Chris Brown's remake of their "Right Here/Human Nature" song, "
She Ain't You
"She Ain't You" is a song by American recording artist Chris Brown. The Tempo, mid-tempo Contemporary R&B, R&B record was written by Brown, Jean Baptiste Kouame, Jean Baptiste, Ryan Buendia, Kevin McCall and Jason Boyd, and was produced by Free ...
". SWV released "
Co-Sign
A loan guarantee, in finance, is a promise by one party (the guarantor) to assume the debt obligation of a borrower if that borrower defaults. A guarantee can be limited or unlimited, making the guarantor liable for only a portion or all of the d ...
" on December 15, 2011, via iTunes as the first single from their fourth studio album, ''
I Missed Us
''I Missed Us'' is the fifth studio album by American R&B group SWV. It was released by Mass Appeal Entertainment and eOne Music on April 17, 2012. The album marked the trio's first studio album since their disbandment in 1997. Cainon Lamb worked ...
''.
VH1
VH1 (originally an initialism of Video Hits One) is an American basic cable television network based in New York City and owned by Paramount Global. It was created by Warner-Amex Satellite Entertainment, at the time a division of Warner Commun ...
ranked SWV No. 88 on their 100 Greatest: Women in Music list. ''Billboard'' named SWV the No. 7 R&B Act and the No. 2 Top Selling/Airplay R&B Female Group of the 1990s. The track listing for SWV's ''I Missed Us'' was released on
Amazon.com
Amazon.com, Inc. ( ) is an American multinational technology company focusing on e-commerce, cloud computing, online advertising, digital streaming, and artificial intelligence. It has been referred to as "one of the most influential economi ...
. The album was released on April 17, 2012, via
eOne Music
MNRK Music Group (pronounced "monarch", formerly known as Koch Records and eOne Music) is a New York City-based independent record label and music management company. It was formed in 2009 from the music assets of Koch Entertainment, which had b ...
and Mass Appeal Entertainment.
SWV appeared on the television talk show ''
The Wendy Williams Show
''The Wendy Williams Show'' (often shortened to ''Wendy'') is an American syndicated talk show created and hosted by Wendy Williams, and produced by Wendy Williams Productions, along with Perler Productions. The show is distributed by Debmar-Me ...
'' on April 17, 2012, to promote the release of ''I Missed Us'' and to perform the hit song "Co-Sign". The album then went to No. 1 on the iTunes R&B albums chart. On June 1, 2012, SWV announced that their next single to be released from ''I Missed Us'' would be "Love Unconditionally". On June 28, 2012, the song "
I'm So into You
"I'm So into You" is a song recorded by American R&B vocal trio SWV for their debut studio album, '' It's About Time'' (1992). Written and produced by Brian Alexander Morgan, the song was released in January 1993 as the second single from the ...
" from the triple-platinum album ''
It's About Time'' was ranked at No. 18 on
VH1
VH1 (originally an initialism of Video Hits One) is an American basic cable television network based in New York City and owned by Paramount Global. It was created by Warner-Amex Satellite Entertainment, at the time a division of Warner Commun ...
's 40 Greatest R&B Songs of the '90s. On November 4, 2012, SWV performed on
Black Girls Rock!
BLACK GIRLS ROCK! is a company founded by executive producer, businesswoman, celebrity DJ, and former model Beverly Bond. The company hosts an annual award show of the same name that honors and promotes Black women's achievements. BLACK GIRLS ROCK ...
, an organization to inspire young black girls, on
BET
Black Entertainment Television (acronym BET) is an American basic cable channel targeting African-American audiences. It is owned by the CBS Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Global via BET Networks and has offices in New York City, Los A ...
.
On July 7, 2013, during the Essence Music Festival, SWV announced that
WE tv
We TV (stylized as WE tv) is an American pay television channel. Owned by AMC Networks since its September 1997 launch, it is oriented mainly towards lifestyle and entertainment programming.
As of February 2015, approximately 85.2 million Ameri ...
green-lit a reality series that would detail their lives as a group and individually, professionally and personally. It would also address their 1998 breakup and their subsequent reunion. ''SWV Reunited'' premiered on January 16, 2014, with a six-episode season. A twelve-episode second season followed later that August. As promised, the show has documented the trust issues the groupmates have with one another from their acrimonious split and their attempt to rebuild their friendships and their brand. It also showcased their professional endeavors and struggles, including touring and recording a comeback album, trying to get out of a record contract and disputes with their road manager, Cory Taylor. Subplots included Coko's reluctance to record secular music after her foray into gospel, Taj's health issues and Lelee's tumultuous relationship with her daughter. A song that the group was shown recording on ''SWV Reunited'' entitled "Ain't No Man" was released to iTunes as a promo single on August 7, 2015.
On November 6, 2015, it was officially announced via Coko's official Instagram account that ''SWV Reunited'' had been canceled by WE tv. In the same post, she stated that SWV's long-delayed fifth studio album would be entitled ''Still'' and is set to be released on February 5, 2016. On December 10, 2015, while making a surprise appearance on the television talk show, The View, Taj announced that "Still" was available for pre-order along with that came a second single entitled "MCE (Man Crush Everyday)".
![SWV performing at Rams](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/ca/SWV_performing_at_Rams_.jpg)
In 2017, they collaborated with
Bell Biv DeVoe
Bell Biv DeVoe, also known as BBD, is an American music group from Boston, Massachusetts, formed from members of New Edition, consisting of Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins and Ronnie DeVoe.
The band is best known for their debut album, the multi-pl ...
on the song "Finally" which was released as the second single off their album ''
Three Stripes
Three stripes is a trademark of Adidas consisting of three parallel lines, which typically feature along the side of Adidas apparel. Adidas was known for this branding early in its history, with its owner, Adolf Dassler, describing it as "The th ...
''. They were awarded the "Lady of Soul Award" at the
2017 Soul Train Music Awards
The 2017 Soul Train Music Awards took place on November 5, 2017 at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, and aired on BET Her and BET on November 26, 2017. American singer and songwriter Toni Braxton was honored with the Legend Award for her co ...
.
In 2019, SWV announced they had partnered with hip-hop trio
Salt-N-Pepa
Salt-N-Pepa (also stylized as Salt 'N' Pepa or Salt 'N Pepa) is an American hip-hop group formed in New York City in 1985, that comprised Salt (Cheryl James), Pepa (Sandra Denton), and DJ Spinderella (Deidra Roper). Their debut album, ''Hot, C ...
in the creation of a new reality series called 'Ladies Night'. The show premiered on
BET
Black Entertainment Television (acronym BET) is an American basic cable channel targeting African-American audiences. It is owned by the CBS Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Global via BET Networks and has offices in New York City, Los A ...
on April 30, 2019.
As part of their virtual artist battles birthed in 2020,
Verzuz
''Verzuz'' is an American webcast series created by record producers Timbaland and Swizz Beatz, that airs on Verzuz TV.
Verzuz was introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic as a virtual DJ battle, with Timbaland and Swizz Beatz facing off in ...
hosted a pre-Mother's day event, on May 8, 2021, featuring both SWV and
Xscape. Both DJs, AONE and
Spinderella
Deidra Muriel Roper (born August 3, 1970), known professionally as DJ Spinderella or simply Spinderella, is an American DJ, rapper and producer. She is best known as a member of the hip-hop group Salt-N-Pepa. Roper occasionally appeared in ''Th ...
, were responsible for music play for both groups.
Members
*
Cheryl "Coko" Gamble (born June 13, 1970, The Bronx, New York) is the ''Soprano''
and lead singer of the group known for her distinctive high tone and vocal acrobatics.
*
Tamara "Taj" Johnson-George (born April 29, 1971, Brooklyn, New York) is the group's ''Mezzo-Soprano''
who has a more jazzy and blues sound.
*
Leanne "Lelee" Lyons
Leanne Clency Lyons (born July 17, 1973), better known by her stage name Lelee, is an American singer and television personality. Lyons is the founding member of the American vocal trio Sisters with Voices (SWV).
Early life
Born Leanne Cle ...
(born July 17, 1973, The Bronx, New York) is also a ''Mezzo-Soprano''
and though being the lightest voice of the three, sings the lower parts.
Discography
;Studio albums
* ''
It's About Time'' (1992)
* ''
New Beginning'' (1996)
* ''
Release Some Tension
''Release Some Tension'' is the third studio album by American R&B vocal group SWV. It was released by RCA Records on July 29, 1997. The album guest appearances by E-40, Puff Daddy, Missy Elliott, Timbaland, Foxy Brown, Lil' Cease, Lil' Kim, Sn ...
'' (1997)
* ''
I Missed Us
''I Missed Us'' is the fifth studio album by American R&B group SWV. It was released by Mass Appeal Entertainment and eOne Music on April 17, 2012. The album marked the trio's first studio album since their disbandment in 1997. Cainon Lamb worked ...
'' (2012)
* ''
Still
A still is an apparatus used to distill liquid mixtures by heating to selectively boil and then cooling to condense the vapor. A still uses the same concepts as a basic distillation apparatus, but on a much larger scale. Stills have been used ...
'' (2016)
Tours
*Weak (1993 in the UK)
* Budweiser Superfest 1993 with BBD, Silk, Shai, MC Lyte & Intro in the US)
* SWV Live (1994 in the UK, South Africa, Canada, US)
*SWV World Tour (1996 in the US, Europe, South Africa, Asia, New Zealand)
*Release Some Tension (1998 in the US)
*New Jack Swing Tour (2005 in the US and Canada)
*Billboard Live Tour (June 16–21, 2008 in Japan)
*Billboard Live Tour (January 12–13, 2009 in Japan)
*SWV and Faith Evans (December 5–10, 2010 in the United Kingdom)
*Fresh Music Festival (May–July 2012, US)
* SWV Comeback Tour (2013 in London and US)
*Ladies Night Tour (With
Salt-N-Pepa
Salt-N-Pepa (also stylized as Salt 'N' Pepa or Salt 'N Pepa) is an American hip-hop group formed in New York City in 1985, that comprised Salt (Cheryl James), Pepa (Sandra Denton), and DJ Spinderella (Deidra Roper). Their debut album, ''Hot, C ...
) (2018, US)
Opening Act
*2017: Three Stripes Tour
*2019:
As Long as I Live Tour
Opening acts
SWV featured a number of successful female groups as opening acts throughout their various touring engagements. Those groups included such contemporaries as
Xscape,
Jade
Jade is a mineral used as jewellery or for ornaments. It is typically green, although may be yellow or white. Jade can refer to either of two different silicate minerals: nephrite (a silicate of calcium and magnesium in the amphibole group of ...
,
Total
Total may refer to:
Mathematics
* Total, the summation of a set of numbers
* Total order, a partial order without incomparable pairs
* Total relation, which may also mean
** connected relation (a binary relation in which any two elements are comp ...
,
702
__NOTOC__
Year 702 ( DCCII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. The denomination 702 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era b ...
, and
Destiny's Child
Destiny's Child was an American girl group whose final line-up comprised Beyoncé Knowles, Kelly Rowland, and Michelle Williams. The group began their musical career as Girl's Tyme, formed in 1990 in Houston, Texas. After years of limited ...
.
Awards and nominations
See also
*
List of bestselling music artists
The following list of best-selling music artists includes those music acts from the 20th century to the present with claims of 75 million or more record sales worldwide. This information cannot be listed officially, as there is no organization t ...
*
Top Heatseekers
Top Heatseekers are "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine. The Heatseekers Albums and the Heatseekers Songs charts were introduced by ''Billboard'' in 1991 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new an ...
*
List of artists who reached number one in the United States
This is a list of recording artists who have reached number one on ''Billboard'' magazine's weekly singles chart(s). This list spans from the issue dated January 1, 1955 to the present. Prior to the creation of the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, ''Bill ...
*
List of performers on ''Top of the Pops''
*
Girl group
A girl group is a music act featuring several female singers who generally harmonize together. The term "girl group" is also used in a narrower sense in the United States to denote the wave of American female pop music singing groups, many of who ...
References
External links
*
*
{{Authority control
African-American girl groups
American girl groups
American pop girl groups
American contemporary R&B musical groups
American pop music groups
American hip hop groups
RCA Records artists
New jack swing music groups
Musical groups disestablished in 1998