🔗 Share this article

"Any idea when you're chatting with Haim?" a text reads. "My request was to ask if I can be their fourth member."

There is only a single issue: The author likewise desires to be Haim's fourth member. Furthermore, we are in plentiful company. Multiple high-profile admirers have also petitioned for the position.

It's clear a special quality is at play. The siblings Este, Danielle and Alana launched their musical journey playing gigs at small eateries with their parents. Now they're multi-time Grammy Award contenders.

Similar to the best ensembles, they're a inseparable unit. Their music videos frequently depict them walking in harmony down the streets of Los Angeles. In concert, they perform with such unfettered exuberance you find yourself thinking, "I'd love to be a piece of that, too."

"The amount of times on tour that audience members told us and said, 'Seeing you perform, I picked up a drum kit'," remarks Alana, the youngest of the trio. "It is the greatest honor. That is recognition in itself. We have succeeded if we can motivate people to start a band."

"Therefore everyone gets an invitation to be the honorary Haim sister."

Grammy Milestone

The trio are speaking from a break, where they're taking a pause after an major tour in for their new album, I Quit.

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

"I follow the nominations 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 right or am I imagining things'?"

The significance of the nomination resonates with the band.

"We truly set out to make a guitar-driven album this time, so it's a huge achievement," continues Alana. "Yet we're just thankful for the female artists that inspired us."

Personal Turmoil and Laughter

The record came out of a phase of emotional upheaval. All three sisters ended up single, and the music captures that odd in-between place where you're relieved to be free, but not quite ready to start anew.

The words track breakups and partings. The sisters desire love, but not the kind of love they've had. You can hear them determining in the moment who they are becoming.

"That's a perfect summary, yes," says Danielle. "I Quit is like a mantra. You have to actively work on ignoring the noise and saying, 'I couldn't care less what people think'."

Evolution of Style

That recent confidence demanded a fresh approach – more raw and powerful than anything the band had done before.

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

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

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

Experiences and Shared Humor

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

One man ended things with Este over a health concern. Alana told a story of flying to spend New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a friendly slap at midnight.

"During these breakups, you just feel like there's no hope," says Alana. "Thus to be able to laugh at those stories and hear others tell you wilder stories, it's therapeutic."

A Confident Legacy

One can easily sense a shift in the band. Today, Haim are more assured of their standing in the music world.

They're festival headliners, with hit albums and an international following.

However the band will forever be their top focus.

"Me and my siblings have been making music since I was four," concludes Alana. "It feels as if nothing else that we were destined for. And I'm really grateful we've reached this point and we're still kicking."