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How did the band Haim conquer pop culture?
From Charli XCX to Taylor Swift, the music band Haim seems to receive unanimous praise. The trio of sisters, composed of Este, Danielle, and Alana, shines far beyond the music industry. Spotted in the credits of the series The White Lotus or at the Cannes Film Festival, the three artists are steadily establishing themselves as the indie phenomenon to follow. To mark the release of their fourth studio album, I Quit, Numéro looks back at their spectacular rise.
By Jordan Bako.
I Quit, Haim’s fourth album
After Charli xcx’s iconic Brat Summer in 2024, Haim might just set the tone for summer 2025. That’s at least what the British singer seemed to suggest on stage at Coachella on April 11th. At the end of her set at the festival, she displayed a series of artist names on a giant screen, each followed by the word “Summer.” One stood out: “Haim Summer.”
Following three acclaimed albums, the three sisters now unveil their latest and highly successful record. Titled I Quit, the album has been released on Friday, June 20th. Co-produced by Buddy Ross, known for his work on some of Frank Ocean and Travis Scott’s albums, this record promises the best of Haim. And especially thanks to its four promising singles, including the outstanding Relationships, a deeply personal exploration of modern romantic relationships.
On the covers of those singles, the sisters are playfully reenacting iconic moments in pop culture. Take, for instance, the cover of Relationships, which imitates snapshot of Nicole Kidman smiling in 2001. Rumour has it that the original photo was taken just after her divorce from actor Tom Cruise was confirmed. Another playful nod? The cover of Everybody is trying to figure me out, where the trio reproduces a famous image of Kate Moss wearing a striped sailor shirt.
Lastly, the music videos of these singles feature brief appearances by some of internet’s favorite it-boys, like Drew Starkey or Logan Lerman… With its slick, cleverly crafted videos, Haim uses and plays with the emblems of pop culture with wit and cleverness. Even more reasons for you to discover the album I Quit as soon as possible…
Remarkable debuts from The Strokes to Taylor Swift
Like the bands Sister Sledge or The Pointer Sisters before, Haim has established itself as the latest sister act to watch closely. Este (the eldest), Danielle (the middle), and Alana (the youngest) form the band, whose name was inspired by their shared last name.
Born to a footballer father and an art teacher mother, the sisters were raised with music in their veins in Los Angeles. From an early age, they developed a love for instruments – Este played bass, Danielle the guitar, and Alana percussions. While Danielle first performed alongside Julian Casablancas (lead singer of The Strokes), Haim released their debut EP as a band in 2012.
Their career quickly took off. The band caught the attention of Florence and the Machine and Taylor Swift. In the wake of Paramore, Boygenius, and more recently The Marías, Haim belongs to the wave of female-led alternative bands that have flourished in recent years.
Their songs alternate between soaring rock instrumentals and the gentle indie folk sounds infused with their Los Angeles roots. Their latest album to date, Women in Music Pt. III, received critical acclaim and was nominated twice at the 2020 Grammy Awards, including in the Album of the Year category.
The White Lotus, Bon Iver… The journey of Haim
Beyond their explosive rise as a band, the Haim sisters have ventured into other musical endeavours. Danielle Haim writes, produces, and performs as a musician alongside other artists outside the trio.
She appears on albums by indie pop singer Clairo and Canadian artist Carly Rae Jepsen. More recently, the middle sister of Haim could be heard in a collaboration with Bon Iver on the musician’s latest record, Sable / Fable.
As for Este Haim, she is credited in the credits of several series, such as The White Lotus, Nobody Wants This, and Maid. She is indeed working as a music consultant for the soundtracks of these successful shows.
Alana Haim, the rising star of indie cinema
As for Alana, the youngest of the trio, she has chosen life in front of the camera rather than behind the scenes. She starred as the protagonist of Licorice Pizza (2022), directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. A longtime friend and collaborator of the Haim family, the filmmaker had directed several of the band’s music videos before offering Alana Haim her first major acting role.
She took the lead of this wild odyssey through Los Angeles in the 1970s. The entire Haim clan, including the parents, even made a cameo in the film. Playing a young woman adrift amid increasingly absurd grown-ups’ antics, she delivered a remarkable performance that earned her a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Comedy.
Debuts at the Cannes Film Festival
This year, Alana Haim carries on her ascent in the seventh art with two highly-anticipated films. At age 33, she walked the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival for the first time as an actress. The latter starred in Kelly Reichardt’s latest feature, The Mastermind, alongside British actor Josh O’Connor.
She will also reunite with Paul Thomas Anderson in a new film titled One Battle After Another. In this historical drama, scheduled for September 24th, she will appear alongside Leonardo DiCaprio and Teyana Taylor. With such exciting projects in the making, the future looks bright for Haim, both in the film and music industries.
I Quit by Haim, out now. The film One Battle After Another (2025) by Paul Thomas Anderson, coming out on September 24th, 2025.
