🔗 Share this article

"When are you chatting with Haim?" an inquiry arrives. "My request was to ask if I can be their fourth member."

There's just one problem: The author likewise desires to be the Haims' newest recruit. What's more, we are in plentiful company. A host of high-profile fans have openly petitioned for the position.

It's clear something is going on. The siblings Este, Danielle and Alana started their path doing sets at neighborhood delis with their family. Now they're multiple Grammy Award hopefuls.

In the tradition of the most iconic ensembles, they're a close trio. Their music videos often depict them marching in unison down the roads of Los Angeles. During performances, they jam with such pure happiness you inevitably think, "I'd love to be part of that, too."

"How often on tour that fans told us and said, 'Seeing you perform, I bought a guitar'," states Alana, the most junior of the Haim siblings. "That's the biggest honour. That's an award in itself. We've done our job if we can encourage people to make music."

"So anyone are welcome to be the honorary member of Haim."

Award Recognition

The band have called into a break, where they're taking a pause after an lengthy tour in support of their fourth album, I Quit.

They're right now processing the news it's been in the running for best rock album at the Grammys – with Haim the first all-woman band ever in consideration for the award.

"I tune into the announcements every year, so it sort of feels like The Truman Show when your name is announced," explains Alana. "I had to call my sisters to say, 'Did we just hear this correctly or am I hallucinating'?"

The importance of the nomination isn't lost on the band.

"We really set out to make a rock album this time, so it's a huge step," continues Alana. "However we're just appreciative for the female artists that inspired us."

Heartbreak and Laughter

The album came out of a time of emotional upheaval. All three sisters were single, and the music captures that unique liminal space where you're relieved to be free, but not entirely ready to move on.

The lyrics follow endings and goodbyes. The sisters desire love, but not the kind of love they've experienced. You can hear them determining in real time who they aspire to be.

"I love description, yes," agrees Danielle. "I Quit is kind of like a mantra. You have to consciously practice blocking the outside opinions and saying, 'I couldn't care less what people think'."

Refinement of Sound

That newfound confidence called for a different sonic direction – more raw and immediate than any of the music the band had done before.

For Danielle, who helped produce the album, that began with the drums.

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

"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the subject of our memoir," jokes Alana. "I've said it, our albums cannot begin until we find the perfect drum sound."

Experiences and Collective Camaraderie

The trio's honesty fueled the album's rollout, where the sisters revealed some of their dating misadventures.

One man left Este over a medical concern. Alana told a story of travelling to spend New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a friendly slap at midnight.

"When you're going through these breakups, you just feel like there's only darkness," explains Alana. "Thus to be able to share those stories and have them tell you even crazier stories, it's incredible."

A Confident Path

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

They're festival headliners, with chart-topping albums and an global audience.

Yet the band will always be their top focus.

"Me and my siblings have been playing music since I was four," says Alana. "It's like no alternative that we were destined for. And I'm really grateful we've reached this point and we're still making music."