All Fans is Encouraged to Join as the Fourth Haim Sisters Member.
"Do you know when you'll be chatting with Haim?" a text reads. "I was hoping to ask if I can join as their extra sister."
There's just a key snag: The sender also desires to be the Haims' newest recruit. Furthermore, we are far from alone. Multiple celebrated supporters have publicly petitioned for the honor.
One thing is obvious an irresistible appeal is at play. Sisters Este, Danielle and Alana started their career playing gigs at local delicatessens with their parents. Today, they are multi-time Grammy nominees.
Like all the most iconic bands, they're a tight-knit unit. Their music videos frequently show them striding in harmony down the streets of Los Angeles. During performances, they jam with such pure exuberance you find yourself thinking, "I'd love to be involved in that, too."
"The numerous instances on tour that young girls approached us and said, 'After your show, I picked up a bass'," states Alana, the youngest of the Haim siblings. "That is the biggest honor. It is a prize in itself. Our mission is accomplished if we can motivate people to start a band."
"And thus all is invited to be the fourth member of Haim."
Award Recognition
The band are connecting from their homes, where they're taking a pause after an lengthy tour in for their new album, I Quit.
They're presently reeling from the news it's been nominated for best rock album at the Grammys – with Haim the very first all-woman band ever in contention for the prize.
"I watch the nominations every year, so it almost feels like a surreal movie when your name is announced," notes Alana. "I had to call my sisters to say, 'Did I hear this right or am I hallucinating'?"
The significance of the accolade resonates with the band.
"We truly set out to make a guitar-driven album this time, so it's a major step," says Alana. "But we're just thankful for the women that came before us."
Heartbreak and Laughter
The album emerged from a period of transition. All three sisters were single, and the music inhabits that strange liminal space where you're happy to be free, but not yet ready to move on.
The words track departures and farewells. The sisters want love, but not the kind of love they've had. You can hear them determining in real life who they are becoming.
"That's a perfect summary, yes," says Danielle. "I Quit is kind of like a personal statement. You have to consciously practice ignoring the outside opinions and saying, 'I couldn't care less what people think'."
Evolution of Style
That developed toughness called for a fresh approach – more unpolished and immediate than anything the band had done before.
For Danielle, who worked on producing the album, that was founded on the drum sound.
"Drums are such a detailed thing, and I care so much about it," she states.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the subject of our book," quips Alana. "I've said it, our albums won't commence until we find the perfect drum sound."
Stories and Collective Humor
The band's honesty inspired the album's rollout, where the sisters disclosed some of their personal tales.
One man ended things with Este over a health consideration. Alana told a story of travelling to celebrate New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a high five at midnight.
"During these breakups, you just feel like there's only darkness," explains Alana. "So to be able to laugh at those stories and have them tell you wilder stories, it's so amazing."
An Assured Legacy
It's not difficult sense a shift in the band. Today, Haim are more certain of their position in the music world.
They're top-billed acts, with successful albums and an worldwide fan base.
However Haim will consistently be their top priority.
"My sisters and I have been performing since I was little," says Alana. "It's like nothing else that we were meant to do. And I'm really grateful we've made it and we're still making music."