Haim

Haim are a sister-trio hailing from the San Fernando Valley in L.A, consisting of Este, Danielle and Alana Haim. Dash Hutton drums live for the band as the “fourth Haim” and more recently keyboardist Tommy King has joined live shows.

The sisters were raised on music by their parents Donna and Moti Haim who taught their children to play the drums and the guitar from a young age. Growing up, the sisters played classic rock and Motown covers at childrens’ hospitals and deli stores with their parents in their band Rockenhaim. Attracting the attention of major label Columbia, eldest sister Este and middle sister Danielle had a brief stab at teen-pop in manufactured girl group Valli Girls which was a short-lived venture as it became quickly clear that it was not the music they wanted to make.

In July 2007 the sisters branched away from Rockenhaim and played their first gig at the California Institute of Abnormal Arts as ‘Haim’. Este completed a degree in Ethnomusicology at UCLA (in two years rather than the expected five), graduating in the summer of 2010. Meanwhile, Danielle joined Julian Casablancas as touring guitarist after The Strokes’ frontman had spotted her talent as she played on stage with Jenny Lewis. It was Julian who would later tell the sisters to stop gigging and come back with better songs. After the sisters decided the time had come to focus on the band, youngest sister Alana dropped out of college.

Entering the studio on three separate occasions with undesired results, the trio finally met a producer they could trust, Ludwig Goransson, who helped them to craft their debut EP ‘Forever’ which was released in February 2012 to critical acclaim. They signed a record deal with Polydor in the UK after creating a huge buzz at SXSW the month following the EP release. In May of the same year they played their first UK dates, including their first London show at The Shacklewell Arms.

Following the release of single ‘Don’t Save Me’ in November 2012, excitement around the band grew. Haim topped the BBC Sound of 2013 poll at the start of the year. 2013 was filled with success after success for the band as they signed to Jay Z’s record label Roc Nation, played four sets at Glastonbury (including providing backing vocals for Primal Scream on the Pyramid Stage) and pipped Justin Timberlake to Number One in the Official UK Albums Chart with their debut album ‘Days Are Gone’ in September. On their long-awaited debut album, the sisters worked with the hot-name producers Ariel Rechtshaid and James Ford. Haim were voted best new festival artist of 2013 by NME readers. Este Haim became similarly famed for her “bass face”.

2014 does not look like any slowing down for Haim. ‘If I Could Change Your Mind’ was released as a single alongside a dance-heavy video directed by Warren Fu. Haim won the 2014 NME Award for Best International Band and Alana retained her Best Twitter title for the second year in a row. In March they completed two years of world touring in the UK after selling out every UK tour they’ve been on. Album number two is in the making.