🔗 Share this article

"Any idea when you're chatting with Haim?" a text pops up. "I was hoping to ask if I can be their newest bandmate."

There is only a key snag: The author likewise wants to be the Haims' fourth member. What's more, we are in plentiful company. Several high-profile supporters have also coveted the position.

It's clear a special quality is at play. Sisters Este, Danielle and Alana started their path doing sets at small eateries with their family. Now they're multiple Grammy contenders.

In the tradition of the most iconic ensembles, they're a close unit. Their videos repeatedly feature them walking in harmony down the avenues of Los Angeles. On stage, they jam with such unfettered exuberance you find yourself thinking, "I'd love to be part of that, too."

"The numerous instances on tour that young girls came up to us and said, 'Watching you live, I got a drum kit'," remarks Alana, the youngest of the trio. "It is the greatest honor. It is a prize in itself. Our mission is accomplished if we can encourage people to make music."

"Therefore anyone is invited to be the fourth part of the family."

Historic Nod

The group have called into home, where they're resting up after an lengthy tour in promoting their latest album, I Quit.

They're right now reeling from the news it's been in the running for Best Rock Album at the Grammy Awards – with Haim the pioneering female band ever in the running for the prize.

"I follow the lists every year, so it sort of feels like The Truman Show when your name is called," explains Alana. "I had to call my sisters to say, 'Did I hear this correctly or am I dreaming'?"

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

"We really set out to make a rock record this time, so it's a major achievement," says Alana. "Yet we're just thankful for the female artists that inspired us."

Emotional Upheaval and Humour

The project came out of a time of emotional upheaval. All three sisters ended up single, and the music explores that unique transitional period where you're happy to be free, but not entirely ready to move on.

The lyrics follow breakups and goodbyes. The sisters want love, but not the kind of love they've had. You can hear them determining in real life who they aspire to be.

"I adore way of putting it, yes," agrees Danielle. "I Quit is essentially a personal statement. You have to actively work on shutting out the criticism and saying, 'I couldn't care less what people think'."

Development of Style

That newfound toughness demanded a different sonic direction – more organic and powerful than any of the music the band had done before.

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

"Drums are such a nuanced thing, and I focus so intensely about it," she states.

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

Anecdotes and Shared Camaraderie

The band's candor fueled the album's rollout, where the sisters revealed some of their dating horror stories.

One man broke up with Este over a medical concern. Alana told a story of travelling to celebrate New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a casual gesture at midnight.

"When you're going through these heartbreaks, you just feel like there's no hope," notes Alana. "Therefore to be able to share those stories and have them tell you more outrageous stories, it's incredible."

A Confident Legacy

One can easily sense a evolution in the band. Today, Haim are more certain of their position in the music world.

They're top-billed acts, with successful albums and an international following.

Yet the band will forever be their primary commitment.

"My sisters and I have been performing since I was four," shares Alana. "There is no alternative that we were supposed to do. And I'm really thankful we've gotten here and we're still kicking."