SWV

Born in New York in the late 1980s, SWV brought together Cheryl 'Coko' Gamble, Tamara 'Taj' Johnson-George and Leanne 'Lelee' Lyons into a vocal trio that was initially formed in a gospel setting before evolving into contemporary R&B nourished by new jack swing, soul, and hip-hop soul. Signed by RCA in the early 1990s, SWV quickly established themselves with harmonically tight singing, melodic hooks, and production that linked the era’s urban R&B codes to a more pop-oriented approach, as demonstrated by the singles 'I’m So into You', 'Weak' and 'Right Here/Human Nature'. The debut album, It’s About Time (1992), solidified this identity, followed by New Beginning (1996), where SWV refined a smoother, more atmospheric sound, then Release Some Tension (1997), marked by a more pronounced hip-hop presence and several rap collaborations. After A Special Christmas (1997), SWV split in 1998 before reforming in 2005. The trio returned with I Missed Us (2012) and Still (2016), continuing to balance ballads, slow grooves and soulful harmonies. Over the years, SWV has remained associated with the R&B revival scene, tours celebrating 1990s vocal groups, and multiple television appearances that accompanied their comeback.