The World Are Welcome to Be the Additional Haim Member.

The Haim sisters performing together
Haim: "Being in a rock band is where our passion will always be found."

"When are you interviewing Haim?" a message reads. "My request was to ask if I can be their fourth member."

There is only one problem: The sender also longs to be Haim's newest recruit. What's more, we are far from alone. Several high-profile admirers have publicly coveted the role.

It's clear something is at play. Sisters Este, Danielle and Alana started their path doing sets at neighborhood delis with their family. Now they're multi-time Grammy nominees.

Like all the greatest bands, they're a inseparable unit. Their music videos repeatedly feature them walking in sync down the streets of Los Angeles. On stage, they play with such unfettered exuberance you find yourself thinking, "I want to be a piece of that, too."

"The amount of times on tour that audience members came up to us and said, 'After your show, I got a drum kit'," says Alana, the youngest of the sisters. "It is the ultimate honor. That is recognition in itself. We have succeeded if we can encourage people to make music."

"So anyone is invited to be the fourth member of Haim."

Haim performing at a large festival
The group's gigs have propelled them ascend to headliner status of festival bills around Europe.

Award Recognition

The trio are connecting from a break, where they're taking a pause after an major tour in for their fourth album, I Quit.

They're right now processing the news it's been nominated for Best Rock Album at the Grammy Awards – with Haim the pioneering all-female band ever in contention for the prize.

"I tune into the nominations every year, so it kind of feels like The Truman Show when your name is called," says Alana. "I needed to phone my sisters to say, 'Am I hearing this right or am I dreaming'?"

The weight of the honor resonates with the band.

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

Personal Turmoil and Candor

The project came out of a time of emotional upheaval. All three sisters found themselves single, and the music explores that odd liminal space where you're happy to be free, but not quite ready to start anew.

The lyrics follow departures and farewells. The sisters desire love, but not the kind of love they've had. You can hear them figuring out in real life who they want to be.

"I love description, yes," agrees Danielle. "I Quit is kind of like a personal statement. You have to actively work on ignoring the noise and saying, 'It doesn't matter to me what people think'."

Haim album covers and career milestones
The trio won a notable new artist poll in 2013, and have later scored four successful albums.

Refinement of Style

That developed confidence demanded a different sonic direction – more organic and direct than any of the music the band had done before.

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

"The drum sound is such a specific thing, and I care so much about it," she states.

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

Haim in the studio working on music
I Quit evolves Haim's signature sound, combining organic instrumentation with contemporary beats and hooky pop hooks.

Stories and Shared Laughter

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

A former partner left Este over a medical concern. Alana recalled a story of travelling to spend New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a friendly slap at midnight.

"Experiencing these setbacks, you just feel like there's no light," explains Alana. "Therefore to be able to laugh at those stories and have them tell you wilder stories, it's incredible."

Haim on stage during their recent tour
The band just finished a lengthy tour, but state they aim to hit the road in the future.

An Assured Path

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

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

However Haim will forever be their primary commitment.

"My sisters and I have been playing music since I was little," says Alana. "It feels as if no other path that we were destined for. And I'm really thankful we've made it and we're still making music."

Brooke Stewart
Brooke Stewart

A film historian and critic with a passion for preserving and celebrating classic cinema from the 20th century.

Popular Post