The World Are Encouraged to Join as the Additional Haim Sister.
"When are you interviewing the Haim sisters?" a message arrives. "My request was to ask if I can be their fourth member."
There's just a key snag: The sender also longs to be the Haims' additional sibling. And we're not alone. Several famous fans have publicly petitioned for the position.
One thing is obvious a special quality is happening. Sisters Este, Danielle and Alana launched their career doing sets at local delicatessens with their family. Presently, they stand as multi-time Grammy hopefuls.
In the tradition of the best groups, they're a inseparable unit. Their visuals repeatedly show them marching in sync down the avenues of Los Angeles. During performances, they play with such unfettered exuberance you can't help but think, "I wish to be a piece of that, too."
"The amount of times on tour that young girls approached us and said, 'Seeing you perform, I bought a guitar'," says Alana, the youngest of the Haim siblings. "That is the biggest honour. It is a prize in itself. Our mission is accomplished if we can inspire young girls to start a band."
"So everyone gets an invitation to be the honorary member of Haim."
Historic Nod
The group are speaking from their homes, where they're recovering after an extensive tour in for their fourth album, I Quit.
They're presently celebrating the news it's been nominated for best rock album at the Grammy Awards – with Haim the first female band ever in consideration for the prize.
"I tune into the nominations every year, so it sort of feels like a surreal movie when your name is announced," explains Alana. "I immediately called my sisters to say, 'Am I hearing this right or am I dreaming'?"
The importance of the accolade resonates with the trio.
"We truly set out to make a rock record this time, so it's a major milestone," continues Alana. "But we're just appreciative for the pioneers that inspired us."
Heartbreak and Laughter
The album came out of a period of emotional upheaval. All three sisters found themselves single, and the music inhabits that strange liminal space where you're relieved to be free, but not yet ready to let go.
The lyrics detail departures and partings. The sisters seek love, but not the relationships they've got. You can hear them determining in real life who they are becoming.
"I love description, yes," agrees Danielle. "I Quit is like a personal statement. You have to actively work on blocking the outside opinions and saying, 'I don't give what people think'."
Evolution of Style
That newfound resilience demanded a different sonic direction – 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 drums.
"Drums are such a nuanced thing, and I care so much about it," she says.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the subject of our memoir," laughs Alana. "I've said it, our albums don't start until we find the perfect drum sound."
Experiences and Collective Humor
The band's honesty inspired the album's marketing, where the sisters revealed some of their dating tales.
One man ended things with Este over a health consideration. Alana recalled a story of flying to spend New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a friendly slap at midnight.
"During these setbacks, you just feel like there's no light," explains Alana. "Therefore to be able to find humor in those stories and hear others tell you even crazier stories, it's therapeutic."
An Assured Future
It's not difficult sense a change in the band. Now, Haim are more assured of their standing in the music world.
They're major draws, with chart-topping albums and an global fan base.
Yet the sister act will forever be their primary focus.
"Me and my siblings have been making music since I was four," concludes Alana. "It's like no other path that we were supposed to do. And I'm really thankful we've made it and we're still kicking."
