Unabashed fans of Israel, Haim poised for big time

Slated to record their debut album, the ladies have visited Israel and hope to perform a show once Israelis become aware of them.

By DAVID BRINN
Haim 370 (photo credit: Courtesy)
Haim 370
(photo credit: Courtesy)
Online petitions calling on Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young and Pearl Jam to arrive this year for performances in Israel may not have yet borne any fruit, but a group touted as the breakout act of 2013 by the BBC has no qualms about stating their desire to perform here – maybe it’s because their father is Israeli.
Haim – consisting of southern California sisters Danielle, Este and Alana Haim – all between 21 and 26 – is the buzz band of the new year, according the BBC Sound of 2013 survey of 200 music industry critics, broadcasters and bloggers.
The sisters’ Israeli-born father Mordechai enlisted them into a family cover band dubbed Rockinhaim.
According to The Jewish Chronicle, their first performance took place at a Jewish deli in Hollywood and they were paid in matzah ball soup.
Going off on their own when they came of age, the sisters began to raise eyebrows with their rousing shows that won them opening slots for top-tier bands like Mumford and Sons and Florence and the Machine, and launched a bidding war for their talents which was won by Universal-owned Polydor.
Their brand of acoustic pop and folk with pretty harmonies a la Fleetwood Mac but with a low-fi edge also caught the attention of the British music insiders polled by the BBC, who in 2008 gave the honors to Adele. Previous unknown acts that topped the poll include Mika and Elliot Goulding.
A Radio 1 DJ who announced Haim as the winners on his show, said that band had “an unapologetic passion for music that shines in their songs. They’re brilliant musicians who have a real talent for tunes that merge their tales of growing up in the 21st century with classic song-writing ability.”
According to one blogging fan, “Their voices mesh. Their lyrics bite. Their guitars sting and chime, as needed. Think of them as the children of Fleetwood Mac and Joni Mitchell.”
Since topping the BBC poll last week, the band has received a spike in their YouTube hits for their songs like “Forever” and “Don’t Save Me.”
Currently slated to record their debut album, the ladies told the Jewish Chronicle that they’ve visited Israel and hope to arrive for a show once Israelis become aware of them.
“It would be a dream come true to perform in Israel,” they told the JC. “We’ll get there one day.”