🔗 Share this article

"Do you know when you'll be chatting with the Haim sisters?" a text pops up. "I wanted to ask if I can join as their extra sister."

However, there remains one problem: I also longs to be Haim's fourth member. What's more, we are not alone. A host of high-profile admirers have also petitioned for the role.

It's clear something is at play. Sisters Este, Danielle and Alana began their career playing gigs at small eateries with their parents. Presently, they stand as multi-time Grammy contenders.

Like all the most iconic groups, they're a close gang. Their videos repeatedly feature them marching in unison down the streets of Los Angeles. On stage, they jam with such pure joy you inevitably think, "I'd love to be involved in that, too."

"The numerous instances on tour that audience members told us and said, 'Watching you live, I bought a guitar'," remarks Alana, the youngest of the Haim siblings. "That is the greatest honor. That is recognition in itself. We have succeeded if we can motivate young girls to form a group."

"And thus all gets an invitation to be the honorary member of Haim."

Historic Recognition

The trio are speaking from a break, where they're resting up after an extensive tour in support of their new album, I Quit.

They're right now processing the news it's been shortlisted for Best Rock Album at the Grammy Awards – with Haim the very first female band ever in the running for the prize.

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

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

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

Heartbreak and Candor

The album emerged from a period of emotional upheaval. All three sisters found themselves single, and the music captures that strange liminal space where you're relieved to be free, but not yet ready to move on.

The words detail breakups and farewells. The sisters seek love, but not the relationships they've got. You can hear them determining in real life who they aspire to be.

"I adore summary, yes," says Danielle. "I Quit is like a mantra. You have to consciously practice shutting out the outside opinions and saying, 'I don't give what people think'."

Evolution of Style

That newfound resilience called for a fresh approach – more unpolished and powerful than any of the music the band had done before.

For Danielle, who worked on producing the album, that was founded on the drums.

"Drums are such a detailed thing, and I am so passionate about it," she states.

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

Experiences and Collective Laughter

The band's honesty inspired the album's rollout, where the sisters shared some of their romantic tales.

A former partner ended things 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.

"When you're going through these setbacks, you just feel like there's no hope," explains Alana. "Thus to be able to share those stories and hear others tell you wilder stories, it's therapeutic."

An Assured Legacy

You can clearly sense a evolution in the band. These days, Haim are more certain of their standing in the industry.

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

Yet the sister act will consistently be their primary priority.

"Me and my siblings have been playing music since I was little," shares Alana. "There is nothing else that we were destined for. And I'm really fortunate we've gotten here and we're still kicking."