We first fell in love with the ladies of SWV in 1992 when they released their debut album, It’s About Time, which featured hit songs “Weak†and “I’m So Into You.†It’s nearly 25 years later and the “Sisters With Voices†have proven once again, they still got it–a soulful and unmatched R&B sound capable of topping the Billboard charts. Beyond using music to capture the hearts and souls of fans from around the world, the dynamic trio featuring Leanne “Lelee†Lyons, Tamara “Taj” Johnson-George and Cheryl “Coko†Clemons, are mothers, wives, and “glam-mas.” On the heels of their latest album–Still, BlackEnterprise.com caught up with the ladies to talk about their new music and career longevity.
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BlackEnterprise.com: Let’s revisit the past for a moment, specifically around the time when you released the first album–It’s About the Time. What advice would you give to your younger selves about the music industry?
Taj: That it [music] is a business. You can really get confused, get your feelings hurt and be damaged by this industry. When we first started in the industry, we saw celebrities dressed up on the red carpet, and we were ready to just have fun. It’s easy to lose sight of what’s really important. At the end of the day, it’s a business; you have to focus, know your stuff, practice, and be committed.
What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced?
Coko: Not really having anyone to guide you. Not having the proper people around us. Management has been crazy. Now I’m 45 years old, and I’m just learning things I should have known back then.
When it comes to music, everything has changed in terms of the way it’s produced and distributed. How have you remained true to who you are as R&B artists?
Lelee: We know our fans. We know what got us this far. We know what they want to hear from us. So, we’re always going to stay true to them and take care of what our fans want first. If we want to do a little something different, we’ll throw a few fun songs on the album. If you try to adapt your music to what’s going on now, your fans will be the first to ask or tell you “What are you doing? Stick to what you do best.†You can be a dope singer, but all it takes is one song–to throw you off.
Why was your reality show canceled? Would you do another reality TV show?
Coko: We wanted to show more of the positive aspects of our lives. Taj and I have school-aged kids, so we wanted the TV show to include more stuff about our family life. I don’t want to show us fighting with each other–we’re passed that. They wanted to show us against each other–and we wanted to show us against the world. We would do a reality show again but we would have to have more control.
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How do you manage your personal life–husband, kids, and grandkids, while you’re on the road? Do your children understand your contributions the music world?
Coko: My husband is the drummer for SWV, so he’s always with me. But I have a 12-year-old son, so it’s hard to leave because when we’re not home, somebody needs to be there. My 20-year-old is all over the place. He’s on the road and doing shows–and I think he may be paying me back for what
I put my mom through. I think earlier in my life, I kind of messed up with my 20-year-old, so I try to make sure I’m there for my 12-year-old. My kids think it’s strange when people come up to me.Lelee: My kids literally grew up with me, my daughter is 27 and my son is 25, so they fully know about the impact of our music. In fact, they always want me to pull the SWV [favor] ‘card’ because they think I know someone who can show special treatment. But really, I’m just mom to them. They’re older now, and I think it’s my time. I want to grow old gracefully. When it comes to dating at my age, it’s really hard because you don’t want to go through the whole process of getting to know someone. But Coko always reminds me “make sure they like you for you.†[Coko chimes in] “I know if it’s hard for her. A lot of people just want to get to know you because you’re SWV. So I have to ask her–”Do they want to meet SWV or LeLee?
Taj you’re married to Eddie George, a retired NFL player, Heisman Trophy winner and now an actor on the hit Broadway musical–Chicago. You also have children, how do you make it work?
Taj: It’s simple we love each other and we want to be married, so we make it work. We live normal lives. My youngest son, who was born after my husband retired from football, didn’t even understand how big my husband was until one day SWV was performing at a stadium and my husband was there. People kept coming up to my husband and he was confused and couldn’t understand why.
Let’s talk about the new album–Still (in stores now). How have you remained true to the SWV sound? What are your favorite songs from the album?
We’re either going to keep you in love or give you a solution for getting over your breakup. We did a live version of “Weak” and “I’m So into You†and “Right Here,†because the songs are still very popular.
Taj: My favorite songs: “On Tonight,” “When Love Didn’t Hurt,” and “MCE (Man Crush Everyday)”–which is a hashtag.
LeLee: My favorite songs: “On Tonight,” “Ain’t no Man,” and “Man Crush Everyday”
Coko: My favorite songs: “Man Crush Everyday” and What We Gon’ Do,” and “When Love Didn’t Hurt.”