All Fans is Encouraged to Become the Fourth Haim Sister.
"When are you chatting with the Haim sisters?" an inquiry arrives. "I wanted to ask if I can join as their extra sister."
There's just a single issue: I also longs to be Haim's newest recruit. What's more, we are not alone. Several famous supporters have publicly begged for the role.
It's clear an irresistible appeal is at play. Sisters Este, Danielle and Alana launched their musical journey performing shows at local delicatessens with their parents. Today, they are multi-time Grammy Award nominees.
Similar to the greatest groups, they're a close unit. Their music videos often show them walking in harmony down the roads of Los Angeles. During performances, they play with such boundless exuberance you can't help but think, "I want to be involved in that, too."
"How often on tour that audience members approached us and said, 'Seeing you perform, I bought a drum kit'," remarks Alana, the most junior of the trio. "That is the ultimate honour. It is a prize in itself. We have succeeded if we can motivate young girls to form a group."
"Therefore everyone are welcome to be the honorary member of Haim."
Award Milestone
The band have called into home, where they're taking a pause after an extensive tour in promoting their latest album, I Quit.
They're presently processing the news it's been in the running for a top rock honor at the Grammy Awards – with Haim the pioneering female band ever in the running for the trophy.
"I follow the nominations every year, so it kind of feels like a surreal movie when your name is announced," notes Alana. "I needed to phone my sisters to say, 'Am I hearing this right or am I dreaming'?"
The weight of the honor isn't lost on the sisters.
"We truly set out to make a rock album this time, so it's a huge 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 ended up single, and the music explores that odd transitional period where you're glad to be free, but not quite ready to move on.
The lyrics track endings and goodbyes. The sisters seek love, but not the relationships they've experienced. You can hear them figuring out in the moment who they are becoming.
"That's a perfect summary, yes," says Danielle. "I Quit is essentially a slogan. You have to actively work on blocking the criticism and saying, 'I couldn't care less what people think'."
Development of Style
That newfound toughness demanded a new sound – more organic and immediate than any of the music the band had done before.
For Danielle, who worked on producing the album, that started with the drums.
"Drums are such a detailed thing, and I focus so intensely about it," she says.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the subject of our biography," quips Alana. "I always say, our albums cannot begin until we find the right drum sound."
Stories and Collective Camaraderie
The band's candor inspired the album's promotional campaign, where the sisters revealed some of their personal misadventures.
One man left Este over a medical consideration. Alana recalled a story of flying to spend New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a casual gesture at midnight.
"When you're going through these setbacks, you just feel like there's no hope," explains Alana. "So to be able to laugh at those stories and have them tell you more outrageous stories, it's incredible."
A Secure Path
You can clearly sense a evolution in the band. These days, Haim are more certain of their place in the music world.
They're festival headliners, with hit albums and an global audience.
However the band will consistently be their top focus.
"My sisters and I have been playing music since I was little," concludes Alana. "There is no alternative that we were destined for. And I'm really thankful we've reached this point and we're still going strong."