All Fans is Encouraged to Become the Additional Haim Sister.
"When are you interviewing the band?" a text arrives. "I wanted to ask if I can join as their fourth member."
There is only a key snag: The sender also longs to be the Haims' newest recruit. What's more, we are in plentiful company. Multiple high-profile fans have also petitioned for the honor.
One thing is obvious a special quality is going on. The siblings Este, Danielle and Alana started their path playing gigs at small eateries with their family. Now they're multi-time Grammy Award nominees.
In the tradition of the greatest groups, they're a inseparable gang. Their music videos repeatedly show them marching in unison down the avenues of Los Angeles. During performances, they jam with such unfettered joy you can't help but think, "I want to be involved in that, too."
"How often on tour that young girls came up to us and said, 'Seeing you perform, I got a bass'," says Alana, the most junior of the Haim siblings. "It is the biggest compliment. It is a prize in itself. We've done our job if we can encourage young girls to start a band."
"And thus anyone is invited to be the fourth part of the family."
Historic Recognition
The trio are speaking from their homes, where they're taking a pause after an extensive tour in for their fourth album, I Quit.
They're currently celebrating the news it's been shortlisted for best rock album at the Grammy Awards – with Haim the very first female band ever in contention for the trophy.
"I tune into the nominations every year, so it kind of feels like an out-of-body experience when your name is read out," says Alana. "I immediately called my sisters to say, 'Did we just hear this correctly or am I imagining things'?"
The weight of the nomination isn't lost on the sisters.
"We deliberately set out to make a rock record this time, so it's a major achievement," continues Alana. "However we're just thankful for the women that paved the way."
Emotional Upheaval and Laughter
The record came out of a phase of personal change. All three sisters found themselves single, and the music inhabits that odd transitional period where you're relieved to be free, but not yet ready to let go.
The words detail departures and partings. The sisters seek love, but not the relationships they've had. You can hear them determining in the moment who they want to be.
"I love way of putting it, yes," says Danielle. "I Quit is kind of like a slogan. You have to consciously practice shutting out the noise and saying, 'It doesn't matter to me what people think'."
Refinement of Style
That newfound toughness required a fresh approach – more organic and powerful than any of the music the band had done before.
For Danielle, who helped produce the album, that started with the drum sound.
"Drums are such a detailed thing, and I am so passionate about it," she emphasizes.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the name of our memoir," laughs Alana. "I always say, our albums won't commence until we find the ideal drum sound."
Experiences and Shared Laughter
The trio's openness inspired the album's rollout, where the sisters shared some of their dating horror stories.
A former partner ended things with Este over a medical consideration. Alana recalled a story of travelling to celebrate New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a casual gesture at midnight.
"When you're going through these heartbreaks, you just feel like there's only darkness," explains Alana. "Therefore to be able to share those stories and hear others tell you even crazier stories, it's so amazing."
A Secure Path
It's not difficult sense a shift in the band. These days, Haim are more confident of their standing in the music world.
They're major draws, with chart-topping albums and an worldwide fan base.
Yet Haim will consistently be their top commitment.
"We have been playing music since I was little," shares Alana. "It's like no other path that we were destined for. And I'm really thankful we've reached this point and we're still going strong."