Everyone is Encouraged to Be the Extra Haim Member.
"Any idea when you're speaking to the Haim sisters?" a message pops up. "I was hoping to ask if I can join as their extra sister."
However, there remains one problem: The sender also wants to be Haim's additional sibling. Furthermore, we are in plentiful company. Multiple famous fans have also petitioned for the role.
It's clear a special quality is happening. The siblings Este, Danielle and Alana launched their career playing gigs at small eateries with their parents. Now they're multiple Grammy nominees.
Similar to the greatest bands, they're a inseparable unit. Their visuals often feature them striding in unison down the avenues of Los Angeles. On stage, they perform with such unfettered happiness you inevitably think, "I'd love to be involved in that, too."
"The amount of times on tour that young girls approached us and said, 'After your show, I got a drum kit'," says Alana, the youngest of the sisters. "It is the biggest honor. It is a prize in itself. We've done our job if we can motivate young girls to form a group."
"Therefore all are welcome to be the fourth Haim sister."
Historic Nod
The group are speaking from their homes, where they're resting up after an lengthy tour in promoting their latest album, I Quit.
They're currently processing the news it's been shortlisted for Best Rock Album at the Grammy Awards – with Haim the very first female band ever in the running for the trophy.
"I follow the lists every year, so it almost feels like a surreal movie when your name is announced," notes Alana. "I needed to phone my sisters to say, 'Did I hear this correctly or am I hallucinating'?"
The significance of the honor is deeply felt by the trio.
"We really set out to make a guitar-driven album this time, so it's a major achievement," continues Alana. "Yet we're just thankful for the women that came before us."
Personal Turmoil and Candor
The record was born from a phase of transition. All three sisters were single, and the music captures that strange liminal space where you're glad to be free, but not yet ready to start anew.
The words follow endings and partings. The sisters seek love, but not the kind of love they've got. You can hear them figuring out in real time who they are becoming.
"That's a perfect summary, yes," says Danielle. "I Quit is like a mantra. You have to consciously practice ignoring the noise and saying, 'I don't give what people think'."
Refinement of Sound
That developed toughness called for a new sound – more raw and powerful than any of the music the band had done before.
For Danielle, who helped produce the album, that was founded on the drums.
"Percussion is such a specific thing, and I am so passionate about it," she states.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the subject of our memoir," laughs Alana. "Our motto is, our albums don't start until we find the ideal drum sound."
Anecdotes and Collective Camaraderie
The trio's honesty shaped the album's marketing, where the sisters shared some of their dating misadventures.
Someone ended things with Este over a health concern. Alana shared a story of flying to celebrate New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a high five at midnight.
"During these setbacks, you just feel like there's no light," notes Alana. "Therefore to be able to find humor in those stories and hear others tell you even crazier stories, it's incredible."
A Secure Future
You can clearly 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 international fan base.
But the sister act will forever be their number one commitment.
"Me and my siblings have been making music since I was a young child," shares Alana. "There is no alternative that we were destined for. And I'm really grateful we've reached this point and we're still kicking."