Everyone is Welcome to Be the Additional Haim Sisters Member.
"Do you know when you'll be interviewing the Haim sisters?" a text pops up. "I wanted to ask if I can become their fourth member."
There is only a key snag: The author likewise longs to be Haim's additional sibling. What's more, we are in plentiful company. Several high-profile supporters have also petitioned for the role.
One thing is obvious an irresistible appeal is going on. Sisters Este, Danielle and Alana started their musical journey performing shows at local delicatessens with their parents. Presently, they stand as repeated Grammy contenders.
Like all the greatest bands, they're a inseparable unit. Their videos often feature them striding in sync down the streets of Los Angeles. In concert, they play with such unfettered exuberance you can't help but think, "I wish to be part of that, too."
"The amount of times on tour that audience members approached us and said, 'After your show, I got a bass'," says Alana, the youngest of the Haim siblings. "That is the ultimate honour. That is recognition in itself. We have succeeded if we can motivate others to start a band."
"Therefore everyone gets an invitation to be the next Haim sister."
Historic Milestone
The group have called into their homes, where they're taking a pause after an extensive tour in for their latest album, I Quit.
They're right now celebrating the news it's been nominated for a top rock honor at the Grammys – with Haim the pioneering female band ever in contention for the award.
"I follow the lists every year, so it kind of feels like an out-of-body experience when your name is announced," notes Alana. "I immediately called my sisters to say, 'Did I hear this right or am I hallucinating'?"
The weight of the accolade isn't lost on the sisters.
"We deliberately set out to make a rock album this time, so it's a major milestone," continues Alana. "But we're just appreciative for the women that paved the way."
Emotional Upheaval and Laughter
The project came out of a period of personal change. All three sisters ended up single, and the music inhabits that odd liminal space where you're relieved to be free, but not quite ready to move on.
The themes follow breakups and farewells. The sisters desire love, but not the specific love they've got. You can hear them working out in real time who they are becoming.
"I adore summary, yes," responds Danielle. "I Quit is like a mantra. You have to consciously practice blocking the noise and saying, 'I couldn't care less what people think'."
Evolution of Style
That developed resilience required a new sound – more organic and immediate than anything the band had done before.
For Danielle, who worked on producing the album, that began with the percussion.
"Percussion is such a nuanced thing, and I focus so intensely about it," she states.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the title of our book," laughs Alana. "Our motto is, our albums cannot begin until we find the perfect drum sound."
Anecdotes and Shared Humor
The band's candor shaped the album's promotional campaign, where the sisters disclosed some of their dating tales.
A former partner broke up with Este over a medical consideration. Alana shared a story of flying to celebrate New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a high five at midnight.
"When you're going through these breakups, you just feel like there's no light," notes Alana. "Therefore to be able to laugh at those stories and have them tell you even crazier stories, it's therapeutic."
A Confident Future
One can easily sense a shift in the band. Today, Haim are more certain of their standing in the music world.
They're top-billed acts, with chart-topping albums and an worldwide audience.
But Haim will forever be their top commitment.
"We have been playing music since I was a young child," shares Alana. "It feels as if nothing else that we were supposed to do. And I'm really fortunate we've made it and we're still kicking."