It’s hardly surprising that a band as successful as HAIM has a new song called “Everybody’s trying to figure me out.” The band, which consists of multi-instrumentalists and sisters Danielle, Este and Alana Haim, has spent decades in the public eye, racking up critical acclaim, putting on massive performances and collaborating with stars of every genre. Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon and ex-Vampire Weekend member Rostam Batmanglij have both credits on this song, which was released on April 4.
What is surprising about “Everybody’s trying to figure me out” is that it doesn’t directly deal with fame or the music industry, opting instead for a specific yet universal celebration of self-acceptance.
The song begins with a sparse, steady drumbeat played by Danielle, who is also the lead writer and vocalist on the song. The drums are joined by simple guitar lines and eventually accompanied by a bass line, but the arrangement stays refreshingly plain and unprocessed throughout.
Lyrically, Danielle describes feeling panicked and out of control. She’s being judged by those around her and starting to second-guess her own actions. “Oh, my God / I feel like I might live inside of everyone’s thoughts,” she muses, realizing that others think of her as someone entirely different from who she really is.
Nevertheless, she reassures herself, “that’s alright,” and you can tell from her even-keeled vocal performance that she really feels that way. It’s not about justifying your decisions, Danielle argues, but rather about making peace with them. “Everybody’s got a bed they’re sleeping in,” she sings, “And I know that I’ve made mine.” As always, her sisters join in with harmonies every now and then.
At a few key moments, the song speeds up a little bit, as if to add a hint of uncertainty to the situation. Even this can’t faze HAIM. Every time the tempo changes, the groove seems to grow more satisfying, as if it’s reaching a hard-earned conclusion. Then, just as everything sounds like it’s coming to a head, the band slows back down. They repeat a few simple but powerful words: “You think you’re gonna die, but you’re not gonna die.” It’s nice to hear a reminder that some things in life are really not that big of a deal, and HAIM backs that sentiment up with confidence and wisdom.
“Everybody’s trying to figure me out” rambles between many different sections, meaning that most of them don’t get enough time to really stick. Still, it feels apt that the listener has to figure the song out as it goes. The Haims are trying to figure themselves out, and that’s not a linear process.
“I hope this finds anyone who needs it,” Danielle wrote about the song on Instagram. I, for one, am grateful that it found me.
“Everybody’s trying to figure me out” follows the band’s single “Relationships,” which was released back in March. HAIM has confirmed that an album is on the way, but no release date has been announced yet.
Anson Marshall can be reached at [email protected].
