🔗 Share this article

"Any idea when you're chatting with the band?" a message arrives. "My request was to ask if I can be their newest bandmate."

There is only one problem: The sender also longs to be the Haims' newest recruit. What's more, we are in plentiful company. Several famous fans have publicly petitioned for the role.

One thing is obvious something is at play. Sisters Este, Danielle and Alana started their career doing sets at neighborhood delis with their parents. Presently, they stand as multi-time Grammy hopefuls.

Similar to the most iconic bands, they're a close unit. Their music videos frequently depict them striding in sync down the roads of Los Angeles. During performances, they jam with such boundless joy you find yourself thinking, "I wish to be a piece of that, too."

"The amount of times on tour that young girls came up to us and said, 'After your show, I got a drum kit'," states Alana, the most junior of the Haim siblings. "That's the biggest compliment. It is a prize in itself. Our mission is accomplished if we can encourage young girls to make music."

"Therefore all are welcome to be the next member of Haim."

Award Recognition

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

They're right now reeling from the news it's been nominated for best rock album at the Grammys – with Haim the first all-female band ever in consideration for the trophy.

"I tune into the lists every year, so it kind of feels like a surreal movie when your name is read out," explains Alana. "I had to call my sisters to say, 'Am I hearing this correctly or am I hallucinating'?"

The weight of the accolade isn't lost on the trio.

"We deliberately set out to make a rock record this time, so it's a major achievement," continues Alana. "But we're just appreciative for the female artists that inspired us."

Heartbreak and Laughter

The project was born from a time of personal change. All three sisters ended up single, and the music explores that odd liminal space where you're relieved to be free, but not quite ready to start anew.

The themes detail endings and partings. The sisters want love, but not the relationships they've got. You can hear them determining in the moment who they are becoming.

"That's a perfect description, yes," responds Danielle. "I Quit is essentially a personal statement. You have to make an effort in ignoring the outside opinions and saying, 'I don't give what people think'."

Development of Music

That developed resilience called for a new sound – more raw and powerful than any of the music the band had done before.

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

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

"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the name of our memoir," laughs Alana. "I always say, our albums don't start until we find the ideal drum sound."

Anecdotes and Collective Humor

The band's honesty fueled the album's marketing, where the sisters disclosed some of their personal horror stories.

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

"During these heartbreaks, you just feel like there's no light," says Alana. "Thus to be able to share those stories and hear others tell you more outrageous stories, it's therapeutic."

A Confident Legacy

One can easily sense a evolution in the band. Now, Haim are more confident of their position in the industry.

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

However the band will forever be their top commitment.

"Me and my siblings have been making music since I was a young child," concludes Alana. "It feels as if nothing else that we were supposed to do. And I'm really grateful we've made it and we're still making music."