December 15: The Haim Sisters

Alana Mychal Haim (center in the photo), the youngest of three sisters in the band Haim, was born in southern California on this date in 1991 to an Israeli father and an American mother, both musicians. Haim’s 2013 debut album, Days Are Gone, achieved #1 status in the United Kingdom and fetched critical comparisons to Fleetwood Mac. “Habitually dressed in leather and lace,” writes Tom Lamont in The Guardian, “these Jewish Californians play irresistible guitar music with Danielle, the dark-browed middle sibling, in the lead as chief guitarist and vocalist. She studs her lyrics with percussive ‘Hahs!’ and ‘Huhs!’, layering in rhythm where there’d normally be just melody (‘Rhythm is the foundation of everything we do’). Taller, blonder Este plays bass, ‘adding the weird special sauce that goes on to make it funky.’ The tousled Alana handles keys, rhythm guitar, miscellaneous percussion -– anything that’s needed. This is the lot of the youngest.” Haim was nominated for Best New Artist at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards and is recording a second album. To see them singing “If I Could Change Your Mind” (over 12 million views on Youtube), look below. To see them on Saturday Night Live, look further below. “I don’t think we’ll ever stop playing music with each other. If it’s just like we’re old grannies and we all have ukuleles in rocking chairs.”--Alana Haim