SWV

SWV, short for Sisters With Voices, is an American R&B trio formed in New York City, made up of Cheryl «Coko» Gamble, Leanne «Lelee» Lyons and Tamara «Taj» Johnson. Emerging in the early 1990s, the group became one of the defining acts of the era’s new jack swing and R&B boom, pairing gospel-rooted vocal power with hip-hop-influenced production.

Their breakthrough came with the album It’s About Time and singles like «Weak», «I’m So Into You» and «Right Here», the latter built around a sample of Michael Jackson’s «Human Nature». «Weak» became one of the signature R&B ballads of the decade, showcasing Coko’s lead vocals and the group’s tight harmonies, and helped establish SWV as one of the best-selling girl groups of the era.

SWV continued to release material through the 1990s and beyond, with tracks such as «You’re Always On My Mind», «Use Your Heart» and «Rain» further building their catalog. Alongside groups like TLC and En Vogue, SWV helped shape the sound of 90s R&B, and the trio has continued to perform and record together in the decades since, remaining a touchstone act for the genre.