Members:

Cheryl Clemons, aka Coko, born June 13, 1970.
Tamara Johnson-George, aka Taj, born April 29, 1971.
Leanne Lyons, aka Lelee, born July 17, 1973.

Group Formation:

SWV formed as a Gospel group in New York City in 1990 by three friends who loved to sing together -- Cheryl, Leanne and Tamara. After sending their five-song demo to various labels, they attracted the attention of music producer Teddy Riley, who was best known at the time for his role in creating the New Jack Swing style of music and for his work with the group Guy.

SWV ultimately signed with RCA Records in 1992 and began work on their debut album shortly thereafter, but as a secular group, not a Gospel or spiritual act. Their debut release, It's About Time, was issued by RCA in October 1992.

Early Career:

SWV's debut album, which was primarily produced by Brian Alexander Morgan, was a smash hit. At the time of it's release, It's About Time sold over three million copies; it also spawned three hit singles, including "I'm So Into You," Weak" and "Right Here." As of mid-2012, the album has sold nearly 13 million copies worldwide since it's initial release. It took almost four years before their second studio album saw the light of day, but when it did, New Beginning reached no. 3 on the Billboard R&B albums chart and No. 9 on the pop albums chart, selling over a million copies. Their third album, Release Some Tension, saw the group move in a more trendy, hip-hop direction thanks to guest appearances by artists like Foxy Brown, E-40, Missy Elliott and Snoop Dogg.

However, it sold just half a million copies upon it's release in 1997.

Break-Up:

Due to tension within the group, SWV went on hiatus in 1997, before Coko left the group for a solo career and the trio formally disbanded in 1998. At the time, Coko said her departure had to do with lack of communication between herself and the other members. During their years apart, Coko released numerous solo albums, which alternated between her Gospel roots and the kind of pop-R&B that SWV had been best known for. Taj eventually married and had a child with former NFL running back Eddie George. The couple also starred in a reality show together, and she appeared as a contestant on the reality show Survivor in 2009. Meanwhile, years after SWV's breakup, the group's members each admitted in interviews that they had mistakenly outside influences tear the trio apart during the time of their late '90s break-up.

Reformation:

In 2005, the group announced it was getting back together to record a new album. They finally signed a deal with E1 (aka eOne) Entertainment in early 2011, and at the end of that year officially released their comeback single, "Co-Sign." It was their first single as a group since "Rain" in 1997. Their full comeback album, I Missed Us, was released by Mass Entertainment/eOne in April 2012. It debuted at No. 6 on the Billboard R&B albums chart.

Studio Discography:

2012: I Missed Us
1997: A Special Christmas
1997: Release Some Tension
1996: New Beginning
1992: It's About Time