Haim's Warm, Heartfelt 'Hallelujah' Is About Grappling With Sudden Loss

Once the stage is empty soon after a packed theater night in Manhattan, the magic starts. Chairs slowly slide across the hardwood floors and melodies seemingly come out of the walls to bring the building alive like in an animated Disney movie. HAIM's wondrously calm new video for "Hallelujah" is about what occurs any time the cleanup crew comes in and takes over, supplying them the best time to wax the floors with fresh and relaxing harmonies. The song itself was inspired by the loss of a friend years ago.


"Hallelujah" is the work of three voices in conversations together, with Danielle, Este, and Alana's chords embracing and twirling around each other like towers of smoke in the night sky. The video reflects this feeling of freefall, although indoor in the theater where the three hang out – almost as if they're the ones supposed to be making sure that everything gets put back in place. Este sits in a chair singing the windy tune as Danielle mimicks pulling it with a magical rope, gradually pulling her to recommend that it's real. Immediately following the two float airborne, Danielle snaps her fingers to cut the lights off as she sings, followed by Alana who whispers her words to an empty audience. Right after everything's all clean, Danielle exits and strolls down the block, humming the tune, and heading residence. She'll be right back to work tomorrow.


Alana Haim intricate the song's meaning in a note posted to Twitter immediately following the song's release. She described it as a "song about family member, love, loss, and being thankful for it all." It's serious about a friend, Sammi Kane Kraft, who passed in a vehicle accident that changed their lives forever. "Though I miss her day-to-day I know she's still here sending me little messages, little signs everywhere I go," she wrote.


"Hallelujah" is the third song released this year from HAIM, following right now I’m in It” and “Summer Girl." In September, they covered Lil Nas X's "Panini" for BBC Radio 1’s Live Lounge.


Watch HAIM's new video for "Hallelujah" up above.