🔗 Share this article

"Do you know when you'll be speaking to the Haim sisters?" an inquiry reads. "My request was to ask if I can join as their newest bandmate."

There's just a key snag: The author likewise desires to be Haim's additional sibling. Furthermore, we are in plentiful company. Several high-profile supporters have openly petitioned for the position.

The evidence suggests something is at play. The siblings Este, Danielle and Alana started their musical journey performing shows at small eateries with their parents. Now they're multiple Grammy contenders.

Similar to the best ensembles, they're a inseparable unit. Their videos often show them walking in harmony down the avenues of Los Angeles. During performances, they perform with such unfettered joy you can't help but think, "I wish to be a piece of that, too."

"The amount of times on tour that fans told us and said, 'Seeing you perform, I bought a drum kit'," states Alana, the youngest of the Haim siblings. "That is the greatest honour. That's an award in itself. Our mission is accomplished if we can encourage young girls to form a group."

"So all gets an invitation to be the honorary part of the family."

Grammy Nod

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

They're right now processing the news it's been shortlisted for a top rock honor at the Grammy Awards – with Haim the pioneering female band ever in consideration for the prize.

"I watch the announcements every year, so it sort of feels like an out-of-body experience when your name is called," notes Alana. "I immediately called my sisters to say, 'Did we just hear this correctly or am I hallucinating'?"

The importance of the honor resonates with the sisters.

"We really set out to make a guitar-driven album this time, so it's a significant milestone," continues Alana. "However we're just appreciative for the pioneers that came before us."

Personal Turmoil and Humour

The project came out of a phase of personal change. All three sisters were single, and the music explores that odd transitional period where you're happy to be free, but not quite ready to let go.

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

"I adore way of putting it, yes," responds Danielle. "I Quit is kind of like a mantra. You have to make an effort in shutting out the noise and saying, 'It doesn't matter to me what people think'."

Evolution of Music

That newfound toughness required a new sound – more organic and immediate than anything the band had done before.

For Danielle, who worked on producing the album, that started with the percussion.

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

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

Stories and Collective Laughter

The band's candor fueled the album's promotional campaign, where the sisters revealed some of their personal misadventures.

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

"During these breakups, you just feel like there's only darkness," explains Alana. "So to be able to share those stories and hear others tell you wilder stories, it's incredible."

An Assured Legacy

One can easily sense a change in the band. These days, Haim are more certain of their standing in the rock pantheon.

They're top-billed acts, with chart-topping albums and an global following.

But the band will forever be their top priority.

"We have been playing music since I was four," says Alana. "There is nothing else that we were destined for. And I'm really thankful we've made it and we're still going strong."