🔗 Share this article

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

There's just a key snag: The author likewise wants to be Haim's additional sibling. Furthermore, we are far from alone. Multiple famous fans have publicly coveted the position.

It's clear something is at play. The siblings Este, Danielle and Alana started their musical journey playing gigs at local delicatessens with their parents. Now they're multi-time Grammy hopefuls.

In the tradition of the best bands, they're a tight-knit trio. Their visuals frequently show them walking in harmony down the avenues of Los Angeles. In concert, they jam with such pure joy you find yourself thinking, "I want to be involved in that, too."

"The numerous instances on tour that young girls approached us and said, 'After your show, I got a bass'," states Alana, the youngest of the Haim siblings. "It is the ultimate honour. It is a prize in itself. We've done our job if we can encourage young girls to form a group."

"And thus anyone are welcome to be the next part of the family."

Award Recognition

The group are connecting from a break, where they're taking a pause after an extensive tour in promoting their latest album, I Quit.

They're right now reeling from the news it's been nominated for a top rock honor at the Grammy Awards – with Haim the very first all-woman band ever in the running for the trophy.

"I follow the announcements every year, so it sort of feels like a surreal movie when your name is called," says Alana. "I immediately called my sisters to say, 'Did I hear this correctly or am I dreaming'?"

The importance of the nomination is deeply felt by the band.

"We deliberately set out to make a guitar-driven album this time, so it's a huge milestone," says Alana. "However we're just appreciative for the women that came before us."

Emotional Upheaval and Humour

The record came out of a period of personal change. All three sisters found themselves single, and the music explores that strange liminal space where you're glad to be free, but not quite ready to start anew.

The words follow breakups and goodbyes. The sisters want love, but not the specific love they've experienced. You can hear them figuring out in real time who they want to be.

"I love summary, yes," responds Danielle. "I Quit is essentially a slogan. You have to make an effort in ignoring the criticism and saying, 'I couldn't care less what people think'."

Development of Sound

That developed resilience required a new sound – more organic and powerful than anything the band had done before.

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

"The drum sound is such a nuanced thing, and I care so much about it," she emphasizes.

"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the title of our book," quips Alana. "I've said it, our albums don't start until we find the right drum sound."

Anecdotes and Shared Humor

The band's candor fueled the album's rollout, where the sisters shared some of their dating horror stories.

A former partner broke up with Este over a medical consideration. 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. "So to be able to find humor in those stories and have them tell you even crazier stories, it's so amazing."

A Secure Path

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

They're top-billed acts, with chart-topping albums and an global audience.

Yet the sister act will always be their primary focus.

"We have been performing since I was a young child," shares Alana. "It's like nothing else that we were destined for. And I'm really fortunate we've gotten here and we're still making music."