🔗 Share this article

"Do you know when you'll be chatting with Haim?" a text arrives. "My request was to ask if I can become their newest bandmate."

There's just one problem: The sender also desires to be the Haims' newest recruit. What's more, we are far from alone. Several famous fans have openly begged for the role.

It's clear a special quality is going on. The siblings Este, Danielle and Alana launched their musical journey performing shows at small eateries with their parents. Now they're repeated Grammy nominees.

In the tradition of the best bands, they're a inseparable unit. Their videos frequently feature them striding in unison down the avenues of Los Angeles. In concert, they play with such unfettered exuberance you inevitably think, "I wish to be part of that, too."

"How often on tour that audience members told us and said, 'Watching you live, I bought a bass'," says Alana, the most junior of the sisters. "That's the greatest honor. That is recognition in itself. We've done our job if we can encourage others to make music."

"And thus everyone is invited to be the honorary Haim sister."

Award Milestone

The group are speaking from home, where they're recovering after an extensive tour in for their new album, I Quit.

They're currently processing the news it's been in the running for best rock album at the Grammys – with Haim the pioneering all-woman band ever in the running for the award.

"I follow the announcements every year, so it sort of feels like The Truman Show when your name is called," says Alana. "I needed to phone my sisters to say, 'Did we just hear this correctly or am I imagining things'?"

The importance of the honor is deeply felt by the band.

"We really set out to make a guitar-driven album this time, so it's a significant milestone," adds Alana. "However we're just appreciative for the female artists that paved the way."

Heartbreak and Humour

The project came out of a phase of personal change. All three sisters ended up single, and the music explores that odd in-between place where you're happy to be free, but not quite ready to let go.

The lyrics track endings and goodbyes. The sisters want love, but not the specific love they've experienced. You can hear them determining in real life who they want to be.

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

Refinement of Music

That recent toughness called for a different sonic direction – more unpolished and powerful than anything the band had done before.

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

"Drums are such a specific thing, and I care so much about it," she says.

"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the title of our book," jokes Alana. "I've said it, our albums cannot begin until we find the ideal drum sound."

Anecdotes and Collective Laughter

The band's openness inspired the album's marketing, where the sisters disclosed some of their dating horror stories.

A former partner broke up with Este over a health concern. Alana shared a story of flying to celebrate New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a high five at midnight.

"Experiencing these breakups, you just feel like there's only darkness," says Alana. "Thus to be able to share those stories and have them tell you more outrageous stories, it's so amazing."

A Secure Path

You can clearly sense a evolution in the band. Now, Haim are more certain of their standing in the rock pantheon.

They're top-billed acts, with successful albums and an worldwide audience.

However the sister act will always be their number one commitment.

"My sisters and I have been performing since I was a young child," says Alana. "There is nothing else that we were meant to do. And I'm really grateful we've made it and we're still making music."