Everyone Are Invited to Join as the Fourth Haim Member.
"When are you interviewing Haim?" a message pops up. "My request was to ask if I can be their extra sister."
There is only a key snag: The sender also wants to be the Haims' additional sibling. Furthermore, we are far from alone. Multiple famous supporters have publicly petitioned for the position.
One thing is obvious something is at play. Sisters Este, Danielle and Alana began their musical journey doing sets at neighborhood delis with their parents. Now they're multiple Grammy Award contenders.
Like all the greatest bands, they're a close unit. Their videos repeatedly depict them walking in sync down the avenues of Los Angeles. On stage, they play with such boundless happiness you find yourself thinking, "I wish to be a piece of that, too."
"The numerous instances on tour that audience members approached us and said, 'Seeing you perform, I got a drum kit'," remarks Alana, the youngest of the Haim siblings. "That is the ultimate compliment. That is recognition in itself. Our mission is accomplished if we can inspire young girls to form a group."
"Therefore anyone is invited to be the fourth Haim sister."
Grammy Recognition
The band are speaking from their homes, where they're taking a pause after an extensive tour in support of their new album, I Quit.
They're right now celebrating the news it's been nominated for Best Rock Album at the Grammy Awards – with Haim the pioneering all-female band ever in consideration for the prize.
"I tune into the nominations every year, so it kind of feels like a surreal movie when your name is called," notes Alana. "I had to call my sisters to say, 'Did we just hear this right or am I dreaming'?"
The importance of the accolade resonates with the band.
"We really set out to make a guitar-driven album this time, so it's a significant milestone," continues Alana. "However we're just appreciative for the women that paved the way."
Personal Turmoil and Humour
The record emerged from a period of emotional upheaval. All three sisters found themselves single, and the music explores that unique in-between place where you're glad to be free, but not quite ready to let go.
The lyrics detail endings and goodbyes. The sisters want love, but not the relationships they've had. You can hear them working out in real life who they are becoming.
"I adore summary, yes," says Danielle. "I Quit is kind of like a personal statement. You have to consciously practice blocking the noise and saying, 'It doesn't matter to me what people think'."
Evolution of Music
That recent confidence required a fresh approach – more raw and immediate than any of the music the band had done before.
For Danielle, who worked on producing the album, that was founded on the drums.
"Drums are such a nuanced thing, and I care so much about it," she says.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the name of our book," laughs Alana. "I always say, our albums cannot begin until we find the right drum sound."
Anecdotes and Collective Camaraderie
The band's honesty fueled the album's marketing, where the sisters disclosed some of their romantic tales.
One man ended things with Este over a medical consideration. Alana shared a story of travelling to spend New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a casual gesture at midnight.
"Experiencing these heartbreaks, you just feel like there's no light," notes Alana. "Therefore to be able to share those stories and hear others tell you even crazier stories, it's therapeutic."
An Assured Legacy
One can easily sense a change in the band. Today, Haim are more confident of their place in the industry.
They're festival headliners, with hit albums and an worldwide audience.
However the band will consistently be their number one commitment.
"My sisters and I have been playing music since I was a young child," says Alana. "There is no alternative that we were meant to do. And I'm really thankful we've made it and we're still going strong."
