🔗 Share this article

"When are you speaking to the band?" a message arrives. "I wanted to ask if I can join as their newest bandmate."

There's just a key snag: I also longs to be the Haims' fourth member. What's more, we are far from alone. A host of high-profile supporters have also petitioned for the honor.

The evidence suggests a special quality is going on. Sisters Este, Danielle and Alana launched their musical journey performing shows at small eateries with their family. Presently, they stand as repeated Grammy Award nominees.

Like all the best bands, they're a close trio. Their videos repeatedly show them striding in sync down the streets of Los Angeles. On stage, they perform with such pure exuberance you inevitably think, "I wish to be a piece of that, too."

"How often on tour that young girls told us and said, 'Watching you live, I bought a bass'," states Alana, the youngest of the sisters. "It is the ultimate honour. That's an award in itself. Our mission is accomplished if we can encourage young girls to start a band."

"So everyone are welcome to be the honorary part of the family."

Award Recognition

The band have called into home, where they're recovering after an extensive tour in support of their new album, I Quit.

They're currently celebrating the news it's been shortlisted for a top rock honor at the Grammys – with Haim the first female band ever in the running for the award.

"I tune into the nominations every year, so it kind 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 imagining things'?"

The significance of the nomination resonates with the trio.

"We truly set out to make a rock record this time, so it's a major achievement," continues Alana. "But we're just grateful for the female artists that came before us."

Heartbreak and Candor

The album was born from a time of emotional upheaval. All three sisters were single, and the music inhabits that odd transitional period where you're glad to be free, but not yet ready to start anew.

The lyrics follow endings and farewells. The sisters desire love, but not the relationships they've got. You can hear them working out in real time who they aspire to be.

"I love way of putting it, yes," responds Danielle. "I Quit is like a mantra. You have to consciously practice shutting out the criticism and saying, 'It doesn't matter to me what people think'."

Evolution of Style

That newfound resilience called for a fresh approach – more organic and powerful than anything the band had done before.

For Danielle, who helped produce the album, that began with the percussion.

"The drum sound is such a nuanced thing, and I focus so intensely about it," she states.

"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the name of our memoir," jokes Alana. "Our motto is, our albums won't commence until we find the right drum sound."

Anecdotes and Collective Laughter

The trio's honesty inspired the album's marketing, where the sisters shared some of their dating misadventures.

A former partner broke up with Este over a medical consideration. Alana shared 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 breakups, you just feel like there's no light," says Alana. "Thus to be able to share those stories and hear others tell you more outrageous stories, it's so amazing."

A Secure Legacy

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

They're major draws, with successful albums and an worldwide fan base.

Yet Haim will always be their primary commitment.

"We have been performing since I was a young child," concludes Alana. "It's like nothing else that we were destined for. And I'm really fortunate we've gotten here and we're still kicking."