With their 1992 RCA debut, It’s About Time, the all-female trio SWV scored a string of top ten R&B hits such as “I’m so into You”, “Right Here”, “Downtown”, “Weak”, and “You’re Always on my Mind”. This established the trio as a commercial force early in 1993. Teddy Riley helped the group craft their sound further with the remix to the hit “Right Here” that featured samples of Michael Jackson’s hit, “Human Nature”, which also went #1 on the R&B charts and #2 on the POP charts. SWV gained enormous attention with their auspicious debut. Among their list of honors were 11 Billboard Music Award nominations, and nominations for a Grammy, American Music Awards and The Source Award in 1993. Additionally, they won a Children’s Choice Award and a BET “Best of Video Soul” Award.
SWV’s “Anything” contribution to the sound track for the movie Above the Rim became a top R&B hit in the spring of 1994. The entire soundtrack released a number of top 10 smash hits, resulting in the multi-platinum status of the soundtrack’s debut. In the spring of 1994, SWV released the remix version of “Anything”, which went gold.
In 1996, SWV returned with another platinum album, New Beginning, which was preceded by the number one hit “You’re the One” and The Neptune’s hit “Use your Heart”.
In 1997, SWV released their third album Release Some Tension, which spawned several top ten hits, such as “Someone” with Sean Puffy Combs, who produced the track and who was a featured artist on “Lose My Cool”, a rhythmic duet between SWV and rap artist Redman; “Rain” a trademark torch ballad written and produced by the first album collaborator, Brian Alexander Morgan; and “Can We” featuring Missy Elliot and produced by Timberland, which was also featured on the Booty Call soundtrack.
SWV has appeared on The Arsenio Hall Show, New York Undercover, and Showtime at the Apollo, and their music has been included on several movie soundtracks such as Waiting to Exhale, Have Plenty, Booty Call, and Above the Rim.
Since SWV’s hiatus, Cheryl “Coko” Clemons has married Michael Clemons, given birth to two sons, and has released one R&B album entitled Hot Coko that spawned the smash hit “Sunshine”, produced by Rodney Jerkins and Trifling. Coko has also released two gospel projects the Grammy nominated “Grateful” and recently “The Winner in Me”, which appeared 4th on the Gospel Music Billboard charts.
Tamara “Taj” George is married to former NFL player Eddie George and also has two sons. Taj starred in her own reality series, I Married a Baller, alongside husband Eddie. Taj, an accomplished writer, is the author of Player Hate Her, How to Avoid the Beat Down and Live in a Drama Free World. Taj’s recent appearance in the hit CBS reality series Survivor gained national attention; she finished in fourth place.
Leanne “Lelee” Lyons has two children, started her own production company, and is currently working with several artists, producing new music. Lelee is currently attending school, majoring in accounting with a minor in communications. Lelee is a sought after speaker and advocate for the prevention of teen pregnancy, recently speaking at Syracuse University and high schools.
Taj, Lelee, and Coko are all big advocates for children’s rights, and teen pregnancy prevention.
SWV reunited in 2005 and have been performing non-stop ever since. They have tour dates with Dru Hill, Salt-N-Pepa, Silk, Jon B, Kelly Price, and Carl Thomas, traveling extensively all over the world.
In 2008, SWV was also an honored guest at the BET Awards performing with Alicia Keys, En Vogue and TLC.
SWV is gearing up to release their fourth studio album in over 15 years titled I Missed You.
SWV will hit the road this summer with Keith Sweat, KC-JOJO, and Guy for the “Fresh Music Festival Tour”.
SWV is one the world’s top selling female R&B groups, and is indeed striving continuously to be one of the hardest working female groups in the entertainment industry today!
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