🔗 Share this article

"When are you interviewing Haim?" a message arrives. "I was hoping to ask if I can join as their extra sister."

However, there remains a single issue: The sender also desires to be Haim's newest recruit. And we're far from alone. Several famous supporters have publicly coveted the honor.

The evidence suggests something is at play. The siblings Este, Danielle and Alana began their path playing gigs at neighborhood delis with their family. Presently, they stand as repeated Grammy Award nominees.

In the tradition of the greatest bands, they're a inseparable gang. Their music videos repeatedly show them striding in harmony down the roads of Los Angeles. On stage, they play with such boundless exuberance you can't help but think, "I want to be part of that, too."

"The numerous instances on tour that young girls told us and said, 'After your show, I got a guitar'," says Alana, the youngest of the Haim siblings. "It is the greatest honor. That is recognition in itself. We have succeeded if we can inspire young girls to make music."

"So all are welcome to be the fourth member of Haim."

Grammy Milestone

The group have called into their homes, where they're taking a pause after an extensive tour in support of their latest album, I Quit.

They're currently reeling from the news it's been in the running for a top rock honor at the Grammy Awards – with Haim the pioneering female band ever in the running for the prize.

"I tune into the nominations every year, so it sort of feels like a surreal movie when your name is read out," says Alana. "I needed to phone my sisters to say, 'Did I hear this right or am I hallucinating'?"

The weight of the nomination is deeply felt by the trio.

"We truly set out to make a rock album this time, so it's a huge step," adds Alana. "But we're just thankful for the women that inspired us."

Personal Turmoil and Humour

The album was born from a period of personal change. All three sisters found themselves single, and the music explores that odd transitional period where you're glad to be free, but not quite ready to move on.

The lyrics follow breakups and partings. The sisters desire love, but not the specific love they've had. You can hear them working out in the moment who they want to be.

"I love description, yes," agrees Danielle. "I Quit is kind of like a personal statement. You have to actively work on shutting out the criticism and saying, 'I couldn't care less what people think'."

Development of Style

That recent confidence required a new sound – more organic and immediate than any of the music the band had done before.

For Danielle, who worked on producing the album, that started with the drums.

"The drum sound is such a specific thing, and I am so passionate about it," she states.

"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the subject of our biography," laughs Alana. "I've said it, our albums don't start until we find the ideal drum sound."

Anecdotes and Collective Camaraderie

The trio's honesty shaped the album's marketing, where the sisters shared some of their dating tales.

A former partner left Este over a medical concern. Alana told a story of travelling to spend New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a casual gesture at midnight.

"During these breakups, you just feel like there's only darkness," explains Alana. "Thus to be able to laugh at those stories and hear others tell you wilder stories, it's so amazing."

A Secure Future

One can easily sense a evolution in the band. Today, Haim are more certain of their position in the rock pantheon.

They're top-billed acts, with successful albums and an international audience.

Yet the band will forever be their top focus.

"Me and my siblings have been performing since I was a young child," says Alana. "It's like no alternative that we were meant to do. And I'm really thankful we've gotten here and we're still making music."