HAIM

HAIM, the trio of sisters, links seventies rock with eighties synthesizer-driven pop and R&B currents stretching from the nineties forward, reshaping those legacies through approaches that feel simultaneously fresh and recognizable. Already seasoned multi-instrumentalists when they issued their first full-length effort, Days Are Gone, in 2013, the group benefited from that refinement together with an instinctive command of catchy melodies, which together drove robust commercial performance, widespread praise, and a Grammy nod. On subsequent releases the band continued experimenting with core ingredients of their style, heightening vocal harmonies and intricate pop craftsmanship on 2017’s Something to Tell You while spotlighting candid lyricism on the introspective Women in Music Pt. III in 2020, never relinquishing their talent for transforming vintage influences into something distinctly their own.

Born and raised in California’s San Fernando Valley, Este, Danielle, and Alana Haim grew up in a household where music was central; their father Moti played drums and their mother Donna sang, prompting the siblings to take up instruments young. While still children, the family launched Rockinhaim and performed classic-rock covers at benefit events. In 2005 Este and Danielle joined the pop act the Valli Girls, whose material surfaced on the soundtrack for the film The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants as well as the 2005 Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards broadcast.

The three sisters officially formed HAIM in 2007, assigning guitar and lead vocals to Danielle, guitar and bass to Este, and guitar and keyboard to Alana. Live appearances remained sporadic at first as other pursuits took precedence. Este earned her Ethnomusicology degree from UCLA in two years rather than the customary five. Meanwhile Danielle was spotted at a Laurel Canyon jam session by Jenny Lewis, after which she toured with Lewis, supplied guitar and percussion for the Strokes’ Julian Casablancas, and briefly served in CeeLo Green’s backing band.

Extensive road work left Danielle longing to play again with her sisters, so HAIM became the priority in 2012. Drawing from the music of their upbringing—Joni Mitchell, the Beatles, Santana, and Motown—alongside present-day R&B, the trio refined its sound. February saw the free digital release of the EP Forever via their website. After performing at South by Southwest they secured a Polydor deal in the U.K. and a management agreement with Jay-Z’s Roc Nation; subsequent U.K. and Ireland dates supporting Mumford & Sons and Florence + the Machine, plus the single “Don’t Save Me,” elevated their visibility, culminating in their becoming the first female group to receive the BBC Sound of 2013 award.

Early in 2013 Danielle appeared on Major Lazer’s Free the Universe, while the full band featured on Kid Cudi’s Indicud. Recording sessions for the debut album with producers Ariel Rechtshaid and James Ford introduced additional drum machines and synth textures, yielding a sleek, pop-oriented result. Sold-out headline shows and a Glastonbury main-stage slot preceded the September 2013 arrival of Days Are Gone, which topped the U.K. chart, reached number six on the Billboard 200, and yielded the hit singles “The Wire” and “Forever.” The release brought a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist.

Building on that momentum, HAIM spent much of the next two years touring independently and alongside Taylor Swift, Rihanna, and Florence + the Machine. They joined Stevie Nicks for a rendition of Fleetwood Mac’s “Rhiannon,” contributed vocals to Calvin Harris’ Motion, and placed tracks on the soundtracks for The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1 and The Divergent Series: Insurgent. July 2017 brought Something to Tell You, produced in part by Rechtshaid, Dev Hynes, and Rostam Batmanglij and marked by a smoother texture than its predecessor. The album climbed to number two on the U.K. Albums Chart and number seven on the Billboard 200, while “Want You Back” peaked at number ten on Billboard’s Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart; a deluxe edition followed in December 2017. Extensive touring continued, encompassing performances with Ringo Starr and Robyn plus a 2018 Coachella appearance. Additional 2018 collaborations included Twin Shadow’s “Saturdays” and Dirty Projectors’ “That’s a Lifestyle.”

HAIM opened 2019 with further joint projects. Danielle supplied vocals to multiple songs on Vampire Weekend’s Father of the Bride, released that May, and the band joined the Lonely Island’s Netflix special The Unauthorized Bash Brothers Experience, performing “IHOP Parking Lot” with Maya Rudolph. Later singles included October’s “Now I’m in It,” which reached number nine on Billboard’s Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart. June 2020 saw the arrival of Women in Music Pt. III, a record addressing personal challenges including the death of Alana’s closest friend, Este’s Type 1 diabetes, Danielle’s post-tour depression, and partner Rechtshaid’s cancer diagnosis. Co-produced by Danielle, Rechtshaid, and Batmanglij, the set topped the U.K. Albums Chart, reached number 13 on the Billboard 200, and tempered serious subject matter with buoyant textures recalling U.K. garage and classic rock. At the 63rd Grammy Awards the album earned a nomination for Album of the Year—the first such nod for an all-female rock band—while “The Steps” was nominated for Best Rock Performance. HAIM also appeared on Taylor Swift’s Evermore.

In 2021 Alana made her screen debut in Paul Thomas Anderson’s Licorice Pizza, with Este and Danielle in supporting parts. That year the band contributed “Cherry Flavored Stomach Ache” to the soundtrack of the British drama The Last Letter From Your Lover and released a remix of “Gasoline” featuring Swift. In return they appeared in the video for Swift’s Midnights single “Bejeweled” and joined several dates of her 2023 Eras Tour. While preparing a fourth album, HAIM released the single “Home” for the Barbie soundtrack in July. Months later the trio marked the tenth anniversary of Days Are Gone with a deluxe edition containing demos and remixes.