🔗 Share this article

"Do you know when you'll be speaking to the Haim sisters?" an inquiry pops up. "I wanted to ask if I can join as their extra sister."

There's just one problem: The sender also wants to be the Haims' fourth member. What's more, we are in plentiful company. Multiple high-profile supporters have openly coveted the position.

It's clear an irresistible appeal is happening. The siblings Este, Danielle and Alana launched their path doing sets at local delicatessens with their parents. Today, they are repeated Grammy contenders.

In the tradition of the greatest bands, they're a tight-knit gang. Their videos often show them walking in unison down the roads of Los Angeles. In concert, they jam with such pure joy you inevitably think, "I'd love to be a piece of that, too."

"The numerous instances on tour that audience members told us and said, 'Seeing you perform, I bought a bass'," states Alana, the most junior of the Haim siblings. "That is the biggest compliment. It is a prize in itself. Our mission is accomplished if we can encourage young girls to make music."

"Therefore everyone is invited to be the fourth Haim sister."

Grammy Nod

The trio have called into a break, where they're resting up after an lengthy tour in for their new album, I Quit.

They're right now processing the news it's been in the running for best rock album at the Grammy Awards – with Haim the first all-female band ever in the running for the trophy.

"I tune into the nominations every year, so it sort of feels like an out-of-body experience when your name is called," notes Alana. "I needed to phone my sisters to say, 'Did we just hear this correctly or am I imagining things'?"

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

"We really set out to make a guitar-driven album this time, so it's a significant step," says Alana. "But we're just appreciative for the female artists that inspired us."

Heartbreak and Humour

The record came out of a period of emotional upheaval. All three sisters ended up single, and the music captures that strange liminal space where you're relieved to be free, but not entirely ready to start anew.

The words track departures and goodbyes. The sisters desire love, but not the relationships they've got. You can hear them working out in the moment who they are becoming.

"That's a perfect description, yes," says Danielle. "I Quit is essentially a slogan. You have to consciously practice blocking the noise and saying, 'It doesn't matter to me what people think'."

Refinement of Sound

That newfound resilience required a new sound – more raw and direct than any of the music the band had done before.

For Danielle, who helped produce the album, that was founded on the percussion.

"Drums are such a detailed thing, and I care so much about it," she states.

"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the subject of our book," jokes Alana. "Our motto is, our albums won't commence until we find the perfect drum sound."

Anecdotes and Collective Humor

The trio's candor inspired the album's promotional campaign, where the sisters shared some of their dating misadventures.

One man left Este over a medical concern. Alana shared a story of flying to celebrate New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a casual gesture at midnight.

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

A Confident Legacy

You can clearly sense a shift in the band. Today, Haim are more certain of their standing in the industry.

They're major draws, with successful albums and an worldwide audience.

Yet Haim will consistently be their top priority.

"We have been performing since I was four," shares Alana. "There is nothing else that we were destined for. And I'm really grateful we've reached this point and we're still kicking."