🔗 Share this article

"When are you speaking to Haim?" a text pops up. "I was hoping to ask if I can be their extra sister."

There is only one problem: The sender also desires to be the Haims' fourth member. And we're in plentiful company. Multiple high-profile admirers have openly petitioned for the role.

One thing is obvious an irresistible appeal is going on. Sisters Este, Danielle and Alana started their path playing gigs at small eateries with their parents. Presently, they stand as multi-time Grammy Award nominees.

Similar to the greatest groups, they're a tight-knit gang. Their music videos frequently depict them walking in harmony down the roads of Los Angeles. On stage, they play with such pure exuberance you inevitably think, "I want to be a piece of that, too."

"How often on tour that young girls came up to us and said, 'Seeing you perform, I got a bass'," remarks Alana, the youngest of the sisters. "It is the biggest compliment. That's an award in itself. Our mission is accomplished if we can encourage young girls to make music."

"So everyone is invited to be the honorary part of the family."

Grammy Recognition

The band are speaking from a break, where they're resting up after an extensive tour in support of their new album, I Quit.

They're currently reeling from the news it's been nominated for Best Rock Album at the Grammy Awards – with Haim the first all-female band ever in contention for the prize.

"I tune into the lists every year, so it kind of feels like an out-of-body experience when your name is read out," notes Alana. "I immediately called my sisters to say, 'Am I hearing this right or am I hallucinating'?"

The weight of the nomination resonates with the band.

"We really set out to make a rock record this time, so it's a huge milestone," continues Alana. "Yet we're just appreciative for the pioneers that came before us."

Personal Turmoil and Candor

The record was born from a phase of transition. All three sisters were single, and the music inhabits that unique transitional period where you're glad to be free, but not quite ready to start anew.

The lyrics follow breakups and goodbyes. The sisters desire love, but not the specific love they've experienced. You can hear them determining in real time who they are becoming.

"I love summary, yes," responds Danielle. "I Quit is essentially a personal statement. You have to actively work on shutting out the noise and saying, 'I don't give what people think'."

Development of Music

That newfound toughness called for a fresh approach – more unpolished and direct than anything the band had done before.

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

"Percussion is such a nuanced thing, and I focus so intensely about it," she emphasizes.

"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the title of our biography," quips Alana. "Our motto is, our albums don't start until we find the perfect drum sound."

Anecdotes and Shared Camaraderie

The band's honesty shaped the album's rollout, where the sisters revealed some of their dating tales.

Someone broke up with Este over a health consideration. Alana recalled a story of flying to spend New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a high five at midnight.

"Experiencing these heartbreaks, you just feel like there's no light," notes Alana. "So to be able to find humor in those stories and hear others tell you wilder stories, it's so amazing."

An Assured Future

One can easily sense a change in the band. Today, Haim are more certain of their position in the music world.

They're top-billed acts, with hit albums and an international fan base.

But Haim will forever be their number one commitment.

"My sisters and I have been making music since I was a young child," concludes Alana. "It's like nothing else that we were supposed to do. And I'm really grateful we've made it and we're still going strong."