Producer Frank Farian created Boney M as a studio project in 1975. On the first output, "Baby Do You Wanna Bump", Farian did the spare vocals himself. After this first success and enquiries from TV stations, Farian cast the first line-up of Maizie Williams, Sheila Bonnick, African Mike and a girl named Nathalie. However, the first really recognized line up came later, with singers Marcia Barrett and Claudja Barry, model Maizie Williams and DJ Bobby Farrell.

The line-up of the group then went through numerous changes. After Claudja Barry left the band in 1976, Liz Mitchell, a former member of the Les Humphries Singers, was brought in. She went on to record Boney M's first LP, "Take the Heat Off Me". Previously recorded songs "Lovin' Or Leavin'" and "Daddy Cool", with Marcia Barrett on vocals, were included. The group's major pop break came 1978 with "Rivers of Babylon", the second highest selling single of all time in the UK.

Meanwhile, three Boney M groups are on tour:
Boney M feat. Bobby Farrell.
Boney M feat. Maizie Williams.
and the only official line-up: Boney M feat. Liz Mitchell (Liz Mitchell, Patricia "Lorna" Foster, Carol Grey and Tony Ashcroft).