🔗 Share this article

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

However, there remains a key snag: The sender also wants to be the Haims' fourth member. And we're not alone. Several high-profile admirers have publicly coveted the role.

The evidence suggests something is happening. The siblings Este, Danielle and Alana began their musical journey performing shows at local delicatessens with their family. Presently, they stand as multiple Grammy Award contenders.

Similar to the best ensembles, they're a close unit. Their music videos repeatedly depict them marching in harmony down the roads of Los Angeles. During performances, they jam with such boundless joy you can't help but think, "I want to be involved in that, too."

"The amount of times on tour that young girls came up to us and said, 'Seeing you perform, I bought a drum kit'," remarks Alana, the most junior of the sisters. "It is the ultimate compliment. That is recognition in itself. We have succeeded if we can encourage young girls to make music."

"And thus everyone are welcome to be the honorary part of the family."

Award Nod

The band are connecting from their homes, where they're recovering after an extensive tour in for their latest album, I Quit.

They're presently reeling from the news it's been nominated for Best Rock Album at the Grammy Awards – with Haim the first all-female band ever in consideration for the award.

"I tune into the announcements every year, so it almost feels like an out-of-body experience when your name is read out," notes Alana. "I needed to phone my sisters to say, 'Did I hear this correctly or am I imagining things'?"

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

"We truly set out to make a rock record this time, so it's a huge milestone," says Alana. "Yet we're just grateful for the female artists that came before us."

Emotional Upheaval and Laughter

The album emerged from a time of transition. All three sisters found themselves single, and the music explores that unique in-between place where you're glad to be free, but not entirely ready to move on.

The lyrics detail departures and farewells. The sisters seek love, but not the kind of love they've experienced. You can hear them figuring out in real time who they want to be.

"I love description, yes," agrees Danielle. "I Quit is kind of like a personal statement. You have to consciously practice ignoring the noise and saying, 'I couldn't care less what people think'."

Refinement of Style

That developed resilience required a different sonic direction – more organic and immediate than any of the music the band had done before.

For Danielle, who co-produced the album, that began with the drums.

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

"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the subject of our memoir," laughs Alana. "Our motto is, our albums won't commence until we find the right drum sound."

Stories and Shared Camaraderie

The band's openness shaped the album's rollout, where the sisters disclosed some of their personal tales.

A former partner left Este over a health consideration. Alana told a story of flying to spend New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a high five at midnight.

"Experiencing these setbacks, you just feel like there's no hope," explains Alana. "Therefore to be able to laugh at those stories and have them tell you even crazier stories, it's so amazing."

An Assured Legacy

It's not difficult sense a change in the band. Now, Haim are more confident of their place in the rock pantheon.

They're major draws, with successful albums and an global audience.

But the sister act will forever be their primary commitment.

"We have been performing since I was a young child," says Alana. "It's like nothing else that we were destined for. And I'm really grateful we've made it and we're still going strong."