Ever fantasized about ditching your day job to join a rock band as legendary as Haim? Well, get ready—because the Haim sisters are basically handing out membership cards to anyone who dares to dream big!
Posted 13 minutes ago
Mark Savage, Music Correspondent
Hedi Stanton
Imagine this: It's late at night, and I get a text from my sister Emily. "Hey, when are you chatting with Haim? Make sure you ask if I can crash their band as the fourth sister!" Little did she know, I'm harboring the exact same fantasy. And guess what? We're not the only ones. Pop superstar Taylor Swift (check out this link for more: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-56123137) and Hollywood actress Brie Larson (as featured here: https://www.wmagazine.com/story/brie-larson-haim-video) have both publicly pleaded to snag that coveted spot. Even Oscar-winning Emma Stone joined forces with them for a fun Spice Girls cover (watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=So-yVyaTh0c&t=21s), though sadly, it wasn't a long-term gig.
Clearly, there's a magnetic pull here that's hard to ignore.
The Haim sisters—Este, Danielle, and Alana—kicked off their musical journey by performing at local delis alongside their parents. Fast-forward, and they're now celebrated Grammy nominees, their tight bond shining through in every step. Just like the greatest groups, they're an inseparable crew, often captured in videos marching confidently through the streets of Los Angeles. Watching them perform live fills you with that infectious joy, making you think, "Man, I wish I could be part of this incredible vibe!"
As the youngest sister Alana puts it, "The countless moments on tour when young girls approached us saying, 'After your concert, I grabbed a guitar, drumsticks, or a bass,'—that's the ultimate reward. It's like winning an award just by inspiring others. If we motivate young women to form their own bands, we've achieved something truly special."
"So, everyone is welcome to become the fourth Haim sister." (Emily, consider yourself officially invited!)
Getty Images
Chatting with the BBC from their home base, the trio is taking a well-deserved breather after an exhausting tour promoting their latest release, I Quit. They're still buzzing from the announcement that the album snagged a Grammy nod for Best Rock Album—marking Haim as the first all-female band ever to compete in this category. But here's where it gets controversial: Does this nomination truly shatter glass ceilings in rock music, or is it just another step in a long-overdue shift that should have happened decades ago? What do you think—has rock ever been as 'inclusive' as it claims?
"I tune into the nominations annually, so hearing our name felt surreal, like stepping into The Truman Show," Alana laughs. "I had to double-check with my sisters—was this real, or was I just imagining it?"
The team fully grasps the weight of this milestone.
"We aimed to craft a genuine rock record this go-around, so this recognition is massive," Alana explains. "Yet, we're deeply thankful for the trailblazing women who paved the way before us."
Este adds, "Our inspirations were always female rock icons—from Stevie Nicks to Joni Mitchell and Pat Benatar. That was our entire universe growing up."
And this is the part most people miss: While rock has often been dominated by men, Haim's success subtly challenges the notion that the genre is inherently 'male territory.' Is it time to redefine what 'rock' means, or are we still clinging to outdated stereotypes? Share your thoughts in the comments!
Themes of heartache and hilarity define I Quit, born from a turbulent emotional period when all three sisters navigated singleness. The music captures that bittersweet limbo—glad to be free but not fully prepared to leap forward. For instance, Danielle kicks off with "Gone," an Americana-tinged track featuring acoustic guitar: "Can I have your attention, please, for the last time before I leave." Then flips it: "On second thought, I changed my mind."
Este takes the mic on "Cry," charting the stages of grief: "I'm past the anger, past the rage / But the hurt ain't gone."
Throughout, there are plenty of farewells and heartfelt goodbyes. The sisters crave affection, but not the kind they've experienced. You sense them evolving in real-time, asserting their identities beyond others' expectations.
"That captures it perfectly," Danielle agrees. "I Quit serves as a personal mantra. It means actively tuning out the chaos and declaring, 'I don't care what anyone thinks.'"
Alana reflects, "In my twenties, I wasn't bold enough for that. I was more like, 'Please, just accept me.' But now, with I Quit, it's 'Forget it, I'm out.' And that newfound resilience? I'm incredibly proud of it."
This strength demanded a bolder, more unpolished sound—rawer and more spontaneous than their previous work.
For Danielle, who co-produced with Rostam Batmanglij (ex-Vampire Weekend), it all began with the drums. She handles an acoustic kit on every song, stacking multiple recordings from various studios to nail specific feels. On "Everybody's Trying To Figure Me Out," she even tweaked her snare to echo the famous punch of U2's "Sunday Bloody Sunday."
"Drums require such careful attention, and I'm obsessed with getting them right," she emphasizes, as if it needs saying.
Alana jokes, "Our memoir will definitely be titled 'The Quest for the Perfect Drum Sound.' I've repeated it endlessly: Our records don't truly begin until we've locked in that ideal drum vibe, then we dive into songwriting."
Haim / Rostam
This sonic evolution unlocked tracks they'd struggled with for years. Take the lead single "Relationships," a catchy pop hit that first struck Danielle during a flight back from their 2017 Australian tour. Over the next several years, it underwent "hundreds" of revisions—lyrics tweaked, tempos shifted—until it finally clicked at Batmanglij's home setup.
In contrast, "Take Me Back" was improvised on the fly, fueled by hilarious high school anecdotes, like tales of boys who underperformed in intimate moments or pals who had embarrassing mishaps in a truck bed.
"That song just flowed effortlessly," Alana recalls. "We weren't even sure it'd make the album. It was pure, heartfelt jamming, cracking jokes the whole time. By the end, we thought, 'This is too funny not to include!'"
This openness carried into their promo efforts, where they spilled dating disasters. One guy dumped Este after she mentioned their potential kids might have Type 1 Diabetes, responding with, "Then what's the point?" Alana recounted jetting to London for New Year's with a supposed boyfriend, only to get a high-five at midnight.
During tours, fans shared their own awkward tales on the band's screens. Like the Philly girl who found her boyfriend's safe held not valuables, but a shrine to his ex... and his mom.
"When heartbreak hits, it feels endless," Alana says. "But sharing these stories, laughing together, and hearing even wilder ones from others? It's incredibly liberating. It won't stop us from seeking love down the line."
Jono White
You can definitely feel the band's transformation. Our first encounter in 2012 (relive it here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-20647027) caught them fresh and excited, still reeling from debuting at London's O2 Arena as openers for Florence + The Machine. Playing the same stage as The Rolling Stones left them starstruck.
"I was on my knees, absorbing every bit," Alana gushed back then. "There's a bit of Mick Jagger in me, I swear."
Nowadays, Haim exude confidence in their rock legacy. They're headliners at major festivals, boast two chart-topping albums, and a global following. Plus, they've branched into side projects like acting (Alana recently filmed a scene getting "shot by Sean Penn" in One Battle After Another) and composing soundtracks (Este's work includes The White Lotus and Loot).
Yet, music remains their true passion.
"My siblings and I have been making music since I was four," Alana shares. "It's as if this was our destiny. I'm so thankful we've reached this point and are still thriving."
What about you? Do you believe Haim's inclusive spirit could inspire a new wave of all-female bands, or is rock still too exclusive? And here's a counterpoint: Some argue that 'inviting everyone' might dilute the band's unique sisterly bond—do you agree, or is it just broadening the fun? Drop your opinions below and let's debate!
