Haim have shared details of just how strongly the music of Joni Mitchell has influenced the sister trio’s sound.
In an article published by Rolling Stone on Thursday February 18 (as part of the publication’s Women Shaping the Future issue), Haim talked of how Mitchell served as a “key inspiration” for their own music.
Danielle Haim described Mitchell’s 1974 live album ‘Miles of Aisles’ as being the catalyst for her and her sisters’ love affair with music. “There’s a little bit of everything,” she said, “songs from all her albums up until then, and she’s playing them with the L.A. Express, which was this amazing jazz band.”
Her sister, Este, added, “[Mitchell] was getting more into jazz in the seventies, so the record is a reimagining of a lot of her early work through this jazz lens.”
Alana Haim discussed how “every year her songs take on new meanings”. “I think that’s the beauty of Joni,” she said, “discovering new things in her music.
“I could listen to a song like ‘A Case of You’ when I was in my early twenties, and that song has taken on a whole new meaning now that I’m almost 30.”
“Her views of rhythm have always been in our blood,” added Danielle. “That’s something about her songwriting that I love, because it’s so percussive and rhythmic.”
Haim’s reflections on Mitchell’s music are well-timed, with the pop-rock band sharing an expanded edition of their third studio album, ‘Women In Music Pt. III’, last Friday, featuring collaborations with Taylor Swift and Thundercat on their songs ‘Gasoline’ and ‘3am’ respectively.
Upon the release of the extended album and its ‘Gasoline’ remix, Swift took to Instagram to declare her affections for the Haims and jokingly proclaim herself as “the fourth Haim sister”.
“Cancel the DNA test I’m the 4th Haim sister and this song is the only proof I need,” Swift said.