Everyone Are Encouraged to Become the Extra Haim Sister.
"When are you interviewing Haim?" a text pops up. "My request was to ask if I can become their newest bandmate."
There's just a single issue: I also longs to be the Haims' fourth member. What's more, we are in plentiful company. Several high-profile fans have also coveted the honor.
The evidence suggests an irresistible appeal is happening. The siblings Este, Danielle and Alana began their musical journey doing sets at local delicatessens with their parents. Presently, they stand as multiple Grammy hopefuls.
In the tradition of the most iconic groups, they're a tight-knit unit. Their visuals frequently depict them striding in harmony down the streets of Los Angeles. On stage, they perform with such boundless joy you find yourself thinking, "I'd love to be a piece of that, too."
"How often on tour that audience members approached us and said, 'After your show, I got a guitar'," says Alana, the youngest of the sisters. "It is the biggest compliment. That is recognition in itself. We've done our job if we can inspire others to start a band."
"So all are welcome to be the honorary member of Haim."
Historic Nod
The trio have called into home, where they're recovering after an lengthy tour in support of their fourth album, I Quit.
They're right now processing the news it's been shortlisted for Best Rock Album at the Grammy Awards – with Haim the pioneering all-woman band ever in contention for the prize.
"I watch the announcements every year, so it almost feels like an out-of-body experience when your name is announced," notes Alana. "I needed to phone my sisters to say, 'Did I hear this right or am I imagining things'?"
The weight of the nomination resonates with the trio.
"We deliberately set out to make a rock album this time, so it's a significant step," says Alana. "However we're just grateful for the pioneers that inspired us."
Personal Turmoil and Humour
The album emerged from a period of emotional upheaval. All three sisters ended up single, and the music inhabits that odd transitional period where you're relieved to be free, but not quite ready to let go.
The themes follow breakups and farewells. The sisters want love, but not the kind of love they've had. You can hear them working out in real time who they want to be.
"I adore way of putting it, yes," agrees Danielle. "I Quit is essentially a personal statement. You have to actively work on blocking the noise and saying, 'I couldn't care less what people think'."
Development of Music
That developed confidence called for a new sound – more organic and direct than anything the band had done before.
For Danielle, who worked on producing the album, that started with the percussion.
"Percussion is such a detailed thing, and I focus so intensely about it," she says.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the subject of our book," quips Alana. "Our motto is, our albums cannot begin until we find the ideal drum sound."
Anecdotes and Shared Camaraderie
The trio's honesty inspired the album's rollout, where the sisters shared some of their romantic tales.
A former partner broke up with Este over a health concern. Alana recalled a story of flying to celebrate New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a casual gesture at midnight.
"Experiencing these setbacks, you just feel like there's only darkness," explains Alana. "Therefore to be able to share those stories and have them tell you even crazier stories, it's therapeutic."
A Confident Future
One can easily sense a evolution in the band. Today, Haim are more confident of their standing in the music world.
They're major draws, with chart-topping albums and an global audience.
But Haim will consistently be their primary priority.
"Me and my siblings have been performing since I was little," concludes Alana. "It feels as if nothing else that we were supposed to do. And I'm really thankful we've reached this point and we're still going strong."