All Fans Are Encouraged to Become the Extra Haim Sisters Sister.
"When are you speaking to the band?" a message reads. "I was hoping to ask if I can join as their fourth member."
However, there remains a single issue: I also longs to be the Haims' fourth member. Furthermore, we are not alone. A host of high-profile fans have openly coveted the position.
The evidence suggests an irresistible appeal is happening. Sisters Este, Danielle and Alana started their musical journey doing sets at neighborhood delis with their parents. Today, they are multi-time Grammy hopefuls.
Like all the most iconic bands, they're a inseparable unit. Their music videos repeatedly depict them marching in unison down the streets of Los Angeles. During performances, they jam with such boundless happiness you inevitably think, "I wish to be involved in that, too."
"The amount of times on tour that young girls came up to us and said, 'Seeing you perform, I bought a drum kit'," states Alana, the youngest of the Haim siblings. "That's the ultimate compliment. That is recognition in itself. We have succeeded if we can motivate people to make music."
"And thus all gets an invitation to be the next part of the family."
Grammy Recognition
The band are speaking from home, where they're recovering after an extensive tour in support of their fourth album, I Quit.
They're presently processing the news it's been nominated for a top rock honor at the Grammys – with Haim the pioneering female band ever in consideration for the award.
"I tune into the nominations every year, so it sort of feels like an out-of-body experience when your name is read out," notes Alana. "I immediately called my sisters to say, 'Did I hear this correctly or am I imagining things'?"
The significance of the accolade isn't lost on the band.
"We really set out to make a rock record this time, so it's a significant step," says Alana. "Yet we're just appreciative for the women that paved the way."
Emotional Upheaval and Candor
The record was born from a time of emotional upheaval. All three sisters were single, and the music explores that strange in-between place where you're relieved to be free, but not quite ready to start anew.
The words track endings and farewells. The sisters seek love, but not the kind of love they've got. You can hear them working out in real life who they want to be.
"I love description, yes," says Danielle. "I Quit is kind of like a mantra. You have to actively work on blocking the criticism and saying, 'I don't give what people think'."
Development of Style
That developed toughness called for a new sound – more organic and powerful than anything the band had done before.
For Danielle, who worked on producing the album, that started with the drums.
"The drum sound is such a nuanced thing, and I focus so intensely about it," she says.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the subject of our book," laughs Alana. "I always say, our albums cannot begin until we find the right drum sound."
Stories and Shared Camaraderie
The trio's openness fueled the album's rollout, where the sisters disclosed some of their dating tales.
Someone ended things with Este over a medical consideration. Alana told a story of flying 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," says Alana. "Therefore to be able to share those stories and hear others tell you more outrageous stories, it's incredible."
A Confident Legacy
One can easily sense a change in the band. Today, Haim are more assured of their position in the rock pantheon.
They're major draws, with chart-topping albums and an global audience.
But the sister act will forever be their top commitment.
"Me and my siblings have been playing music since I was a young child," concludes Alana. "There is nothing else that we were destined for. And I'm really thankful we've made it and we're still making music."