Haim’s debut album won’t be released until next month, but they’ve already topped BBC’s Sound of 2013 poll, played Glastonbury, and signed with Jay Z’s Roc Nation management group. The band is made of “three sisters and a mister,” i.e., the three Haim sisters (Danielle, Este, and Alana), who all play multiple instruments (and very well), plus a drummer (Dash Hutton). Their music has been compared to everything from Fleetwood Mac to Destiny’s Child, and has drawn such fans as Arctic Monkeys crooner Alex Turner and pop star Katy Perry.
With this burgeoning fame has come plenty of exposure, including articles that reveal numerous details about their influences, personalities, and ambitions. And yet one rather important question does not seem to have been answered definitively: How are we supposed to pronounce their name?
The question seems obvious, but thus far many publications appear confused. According to the London Evening Standard, the band’s name rhymes with “I am.” According to NME, it sounds like “high ’em” (whatever that means). Jewcy says it rhymes with time.
So we contacted the band’s publicist to get an official verdict, and we got one: HAIM rhymes with time. It’s not said like Corey Haim’s surname (that rhymes with name), and it’s not said like the Hebrew word haim (khah-yeem, which means “life”). It rhymes with time. (Jewcy, for those keeping score at home, was right.)
Now that you know how to say their name, check out their latest video, for “The Wire.” It’s nu-folk and R&B and classic rock all wrapped up in a thumping bass groove, with wailing guitars and breathy vocals to spare. Enjoy.
