Haim Recall Firing Booking Agent Over Gender Pay Disparity

By Tara Bitran

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Sister trio Haim take the issue of gender pay disparity to heart, recounting a firsthand incident with a former booking agent whom they fired after discovering that they had been paid significantly less  than a male artist they shared the bill with.

In an interview with Grazia magazine, the band spoke about their decision to fire an unnamed booking agent, explaining how they initially “didn’t think twice” about the fee they were receiving from the festival, as it had been sold to them as a positive promotional opportunity, according to NME .

“We had been told that our fee was very low because you played at the festival in the hope you’d get played on the radio,” Danielle recalled. ”We didn’t think twice about it, but we later found out that someone was getting paid 10 times more than us. And because of that we fired our agent.”

The band is currently booked by CAA, with whom they signed in 2017. They were previously represented by WME.

Added Alana Haim : “That’s why I love my sisters so much. I trust them with my f—ing life. We’re all in this together,” she said.

“But it’s scary out there and it’s f–ed up. It’s f–ed up not even to be paid half the same amount. But to be paid a tenth of that amount of money? It was insane.”

The sisters did not reveal the name of the festival they were underpaid for, but the band is currently traveling on their “Sister Sister Sister Tour.”