🔗 Share this article

"Any idea when you're interviewing the band?" a text pops up. "I was hoping to ask if I can become their extra sister."

There's just a key snag: I also desires to be the Haims' fourth member. What's more, we are in plentiful company. Several high-profile fans have publicly coveted the role.

It's clear an irresistible appeal is happening. Sisters Este, Danielle and Alana launched their path performing shows at small eateries with their parents. Today, they are multiple Grammy nominees.

In the tradition of the best ensembles, they're a close gang. Their visuals frequently depict them marching in harmony down the roads of Los Angeles. On stage, they jam with such pure exuberance you inevitably think, "I want to be part of that, too."

"The numerous instances on tour that fans told us and said, 'After your show, I bought a drum kit'," states Alana, the youngest of the sisters. "That is the ultimate honor. That's an award in itself. We have succeeded if we can motivate others to make music."

"And thus everyone are welcome to be the honorary Haim sister."

Award Nod

The band are connecting from a break, where they're recovering after an lengthy tour in promoting their latest album, I Quit.

They're currently processing the news it's been nominated for Best Rock Album at the Grammys – with Haim the very first female band ever in contention for the award.

"I follow the lists every year, so it almost feels like an out-of-body experience when your name is announced," explains Alana. "I immediately called my sisters to say, 'Did I hear this right or am I dreaming'?"

The importance of the accolade isn't lost on the band.

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

Heartbreak and Candor

The project was born from a time of personal change. All three sisters found themselves single, and the music inhabits that strange liminal space where you're relieved to be free, but not quite ready to let go.

The words track endings and farewells. The sisters want love, but not the specific love they've got. You can hear them working out in real time who they want to be.

"That's a perfect summary, yes," agrees 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'."

Refinement of Style

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

For Danielle, who co-produced the album, that started with the drum sound.

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

"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the name of our memoir," jokes Alana. "I always say, our albums cannot begin until we find the perfect drum sound."

Stories and Collective Camaraderie

The band's candor shaped the album's marketing, where the sisters disclosed some of their dating tales.

A former partner ended things with Este over a health concern. Alana recalled a story of travelling to spend New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a casual gesture at midnight.

"When you're going through these setbacks, 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 more outrageous stories, it's so amazing."

An Assured Path

It's not difficult sense a change in the band. Today, Haim are more confident of their place in the music world.

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

But Haim will consistently be their primary commitment.

"Me and my siblings have been performing since I was a young child," shares Alana. "There is nothing else that we were supposed to do. And I'm really grateful we've gotten here and we're still going strong."