It’s been more than three decades since SWV released their debut album, It’s About Time, but Cheryl “Coko” Gamble, Tamara “Taj” George, and Leanne “Lelee” Lyons remain cemented in pop culture history as one of the best-selling girl groups of all time. During the ’90s, SWV—Sisters With Voices—ushered in a new wave of R&B with hits like “Weak,” “Right Here (Human Nature Remix),” “I’m So Into You,” and “You’re the One,” all examples of the mix of ballads and up-tempo tracks that made the trio a household name. During a time when girl groups like En Vogue, TLC, Xscape, Jade, Kut Klose, Brownstone, and Total dominated the airwaves, SWV offered fans and longtime followers something different than their musical peers, with their hit records, unique style, and personalities that listeners across the nation could find a commonality with, through any of their members.

“We were ‘around the way’ girls, but we just fell in place when we came together. It was just meant to be. We came together and we started to sing, and we sounded like sisters. And that’s just what it was,” Lelee recently told Vanity Fair of the group’s start, which began with Bronx natives Coko and Lelee being friends, and Taj, hailing from Brooklyn, joining shortly after. “I think people can really relate to what we were singing and how we sounded, and the look—it just put it all together.” 

“Weak,” which topped the Billboard Hot 100 in 1993, was written by record producer Brian Alexander Morgan, about his crush on singer Chanté Moore, but it was Coko’s powerful lead vocals mixed with melodic harmonies from Taj and Lelee that propelled the song to another level. “I think the songs are colorful, yet simplistic. Like, ‘Weak’ is layered in harmonies, but easy to follow,” Taj explains. 

It’s About Time produced seven singles and earned the group a Grammy nomination for best new artist and 11 Billboard Music Award nominations, but also included a reminder of how far the singers had come in their careers. “I recorded [the album’s title track, ‘It’s About Time’] when I was 17 years old, and it was a demo first. I remember when we had to go into RCA, they wanted to meet us or basically audition us. It was around the time of the whole Milli Vanilli thing, and we had to sing live. I really think they didn’t think we could do it,” says Coko. 

With the pressure to compete with male groups, SWV have had to prove themselves from the very beginning, which is why celebrating the success and impact of their career on the younger generation means so much. “We’ve been tested a lot,” Lelee shares. 

In the years that followed their initial success, the group—who cite artists like Coco Jones, Tems, and H.E.R as some of their present-day favorites—went their separate ways to pursue solo endeavors, but eventually reunited in 2005. Their recent collaboration with fellow ‘90s girl group Xscape on Bravo’s SWV & Xscape: The Queens of R&B introduced a new generation to the powerhouse groups as they both made the case for who should headline a joint show. And while the ultimate goal for SWV was to come together to celebrate the power of ‘90s girl groups with a potential big tour, the venture fell short, and they recently announced their tour with Jodeci and Dru Hill.  

While being on reality television has not been a new experience for the music industry veterans, it’s earned them a new kind of adoration from fans and respect from their peers. “We get the hate, we get the love, but we, of course, embrace more love. So you kind of gravitate towards that. And it is a great feeling,” Lelee says. 

Reflecting on the biggest lessons learned, Coko, Taj, and Lelee all agree that maintaining a sense of “unity” was number one, the hallmark of any girl group. Whether you heard their debut in 1992 or discovered them today, one thing is for sure: SWV is still three sisters with voices and no plans of slowing down.