🔗 Share this article

"Any idea when you're speaking to the Haim sisters?" a text pops up. "My request was to ask if I can become their newest bandmate."

There is only a single issue: The author likewise longs to be Haim's fourth member. Furthermore, we are far from alone. A host of celebrated admirers have publicly petitioned for the role.

The evidence suggests something is happening. Sisters Este, Danielle and Alana started their career performing shows at local delicatessens with their parents. Now they're multiple Grammy Award nominees.

Similar to the best ensembles, they're a tight-knit gang. Their videos frequently feature them walking in harmony down the avenues of Los Angeles. In concert, they jam with such pure exuberance you find yourself thinking, "I'd love to be a piece of that, too."

"The amount of times on tour that fans told us and said, 'Watching you live, I picked up a drum kit'," states Alana, the most junior of the sisters. "That is the biggest compliment. That's an award in itself. We've done our job if we can encourage young girls to form a group."

"Therefore all gets an invitation to be the next member of Haim."

Historic Recognition

The band have called into their homes, where they're recovering after an extensive tour in promoting their latest album, I Quit.

They're presently processing the news it's been nominated for a top rock honor at the Grammy Awards – with Haim the pioneering all-female band ever in contention for the award.

"I follow the announcements every year, so it sort of feels like The Truman Show when your name is read out," notes Alana. "I immediately called my sisters to say, 'Did I hear this right or am I dreaming'?"

The importance of the accolade is deeply felt by 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 came before us."

Personal Turmoil and Laughter

The project came out of a time of transition. All three sisters ended up single, and the music inhabits that unique liminal space where you're relieved to be free, but not entirely ready to start anew.

The themes detail departures and farewells. The sisters seek love, but not the relationships they've had. You can hear them working out in real time who they aspire to be.

"That's a perfect summary, yes," says Danielle. "I Quit is essentially a personal statement. You have to make an effort in blocking the noise and saying, 'It doesn't matter to me what people think'."

Refinement of Sound

That recent resilience demanded a fresh approach – more raw and direct than any of the music the band had done before.

For Danielle, who co-produced the album, that was founded on the percussion.

"Percussion is such a detailed thing, and I am so passionate about it," she says.

"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the subject of our memoir," quips Alana. "I always say, our albums cannot begin until we find the ideal drum sound."

Experiences and Collective Humor

The trio's candor inspired the album's promotional campaign, where the sisters revealed some of their dating horror stories.

Someone broke up with Este over a medical consideration. Alana shared a story of flying to celebrate New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a casual gesture at midnight.

"During these breakups, you just feel like there's only darkness," notes Alana. "Thus to be able to laugh at those stories and have them tell you even crazier stories, it's so amazing."

An Assured Future

One can easily sense a shift in the band. These days, Haim are more confident of their position in the rock pantheon.

They're major draws, with hit albums and an worldwide audience.

But the sister act will forever be their number one priority.

"My sisters and I have been making music since I was four," concludes Alana. "It feels as if nothing else that we were meant to do. And I'm really fortunate we've gotten here and we're still making music."