All Fans is Encouraged to Join as the Additional Haim Bandmate.
"Do you know when you'll be chatting with the Haim sisters?" a text pops up. "My request was to ask if I can become their extra sister."
However, there remains a single issue: The author likewise desires to be the Haims' newest recruit. What's more, we are in plentiful company. A host of famous admirers have openly begged for the honor.
The evidence suggests a special quality is at play. Sisters Este, Danielle and Alana started their career doing sets at neighborhood delis with their family. Now they're multiple Grammy contenders.
Similar to the most iconic bands, they're a tight-knit trio. Their music videos repeatedly show them walking in harmony down the avenues of Los Angeles. During performances, they jam with such unfettered happiness you can't help but think, "I wish to be involved in that, too."
"The numerous instances on tour that audience members came up to us and said, 'Watching you live, I got a drum kit'," says Alana, the youngest of the trio. "That is the biggest honor. That is recognition in itself. Our mission is accomplished if we can encourage young girls to form a group."
"So all are welcome to be the fourth Haim sister."
Grammy Nod
The group are speaking from home, where they're resting up after an lengthy tour in promoting their latest album, I Quit.
They're right now reeling from the news it's been in the running for a top rock honor at the Grammys – with Haim the pioneering all-female band ever in contention for the trophy.
"I tune into the nominations every year, so it sort of feels like an out-of-body experience when your name is announced," explains Alana. "I had to call my sisters to say, 'Am I hearing this correctly or am I dreaming'?"
The significance of the nomination resonates with the trio.
"We really set out to make a rock record this time, so it's a major milestone," continues Alana. "But we're just appreciative for the female artists that inspired us."
Emotional Upheaval and Candor
The record was born from a phase of transition. All three sisters were single, and the music captures that odd liminal space where you're happy 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 got. You can hear them determining in real life who they aspire to be.
"I love way of putting it, yes," responds Danielle. "I Quit is like a slogan. You have to actively work on blocking the criticism and saying, 'I don't give what people think'."
Evolution of Style
That recent toughness required a fresh approach – more unpolished and powerful than any of the music the band had done before.
For Danielle, who co-produced the album, that began with the drum sound.
"Percussion is such a detailed thing, and I focus so intensely about it," she says.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the name of our book," laughs Alana. "I've said it, our albums cannot begin until we find the ideal drum sound."
Experiences and Shared Camaraderie
The trio's openness shaped the album's rollout, where the sisters disclosed some of their personal tales.
One man broke up 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.
"During these breakups, you just feel like there's no light," says Alana. "Therefore to be able to find humor in those stories and hear others tell you more outrageous stories, it's therapeutic."
A Secure Path
One can easily sense a evolution in the band. Today, Haim are more assured of their position in the rock pantheon.
They're major draws, with hit albums and an global audience.
Yet the sister act will consistently be their number one priority.
"My sisters and I have been performing since I was four," concludes Alana. "It feels as if no other path that we were supposed to do. And I'm really thankful we've gotten here and we're still going strong."
