🔗 Share this article

"Any idea when you're speaking to the Haim sisters?" a message pops up. "I was hoping to ask if I can join as their extra sister."

There's just a key snag: The author likewise longs to be Haim's fourth member. And we're far from alone. Multiple celebrated supporters have publicly petitioned for the role.

One thing is obvious an irresistible appeal is happening. Sisters Este, Danielle and Alana began their career playing gigs at small eateries with their parents. Today, they are multiple Grammy Award contenders.

Like all the best groups, they're a close trio. Their visuals repeatedly depict them marching in sync down the streets of Los Angeles. During performances, they jam with such pure exuberance you find yourself thinking, "I'd love to be involved in that, too."

"How often on tour that young girls told us and said, 'Seeing you perform, I got a guitar'," remarks Alana, the youngest of the sisters. "That's the biggest honour. That's an award in itself. We have succeeded if we can motivate people to start a band."

"And thus all is invited to be the fourth Haim sister."

Grammy Recognition

The trio are connecting from home, where they're recovering after an extensive tour in support of their fourth album, I Quit.

They're right now processing the news it's been nominated for a top rock honor at the Grammys – with Haim the first female band ever in contention for the trophy.

"I follow the announcements every year, so it sort of feels like The Truman Show when your name is announced," says Alana. "I had to call my sisters to say, 'Am I hearing this right or am I dreaming'?"

The weight of the accolade resonates with the band.

"We deliberately set out to make a guitar-driven album this time, so it's a significant milestone," says Alana. "Yet we're just thankful for the women that inspired us."

Heartbreak and Candor

The project was born from a period of emotional upheaval. All three sisters found themselves single, and the music inhabits that unique liminal space where you're glad to be free, but not quite ready to move on.

The themes follow endings and farewells. The sisters desire love, but not the specific love they've experienced. You can hear them figuring out in real time who they want to be.

"I love description, yes," responds Danielle. "I Quit is kind of like a slogan. You have to consciously practice shutting out the outside opinions and saying, 'It doesn't matter to me what people think'."

Refinement of Sound

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

For Danielle, who helped produce the album, that started with the drums.

"The drum sound is such a specific thing, and I am so passionate about it," she emphasizes.

"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the subject of our biography," jokes Alana. "Our motto is, our albums don't start until we find the ideal drum sound."

Anecdotes and Collective Camaraderie

The trio's honesty fueled the album's promotional campaign, where the sisters shared some of their personal misadventures.

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 casual gesture at midnight.

"When you're going through these heartbreaks, you just feel like there's no hope," says Alana. "So to be able to laugh at those stories and hear others tell you wilder stories, it's incredible."

A Confident Future

One can easily sense a shift in the band. Now, Haim are more assured of their place in the industry.

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

But Haim will forever be their top commitment.

"Me and my siblings have been making music since I was a young child," concludes Alana. "It's like no alternative that we were destined for. And I'm really fortunate we've reached this point and we're still making music."