Everyone Are Encouraged to Join as the Extra Haim Sisters Bandmate.
"Do you know when you'll be speaking to the band?" an inquiry pops up. "My request was to ask if I can become their extra sister."
However, there remains one problem: The sender also wants to be Haim's fourth member. And we're in plentiful company. Several celebrated admirers have openly coveted the role.
It's clear a special quality is going on. Sisters Este, Danielle and Alana launched their career playing gigs at small eateries with their parents. Today, they are multiple Grammy Award contenders.
Similar to the best groups, they're a close trio. Their visuals repeatedly show them marching in unison down the roads of Los Angeles. During performances, they play with such unfettered exuberance you find yourself thinking, "I'd love 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 guitar'," states Alana, the most junior of the sisters. "That's the biggest compliment. That is recognition in itself. Our mission is accomplished if we can encourage people to start a band."
"And thus anyone are welcome to be the fourth Haim sister."
Grammy Milestone
The trio are speaking from home, where they're taking a pause after an lengthy tour in promoting their new album, I Quit.
They're currently celebrating the news it's been in the running for best rock album at the Grammys – with Haim the very first all-female band ever in consideration for the award.
"I follow the announcements every year, so it kind of feels like The Truman Show when your name is announced," says Alana. "I had to call my sisters to say, 'Did we just hear this correctly or am I imagining things'?"
The significance of the nomination is deeply felt by the trio.
"We really set out to make a rock record this time, so it's a huge step," adds Alana. "Yet we're just thankful for the pioneers that paved the way."
Personal Turmoil and Humour
The project came out of a period of personal change. All three sisters ended up single, and the music captures that odd in-between place where you're glad to be free, but not entirely ready to start anew.
The lyrics follow departures and farewells. The sisters seek love, but not the specific love they've had. You can hear them determining in real time who they aspire to be.
"That's a perfect description, yes," responds Danielle. "I Quit is essentially a mantra. You have to consciously practice shutting out the outside opinions and saying, 'I don't give what people think'."
Refinement of Style
That recent resilience called for a fresh approach – more unpolished and direct than any of the music the band had done before.
For Danielle, who helped produce the album, that started with the drums.
"The drum sound is such a nuanced thing, and I care so much about it," she emphasizes.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the title of our memoir," laughs Alana. "Our motto is, our albums cannot begin until we find the ideal drum sound."
Experiences and Collective Camaraderie
The trio's openness shaped the album's promotional campaign, where the sisters shared some of their romantic misadventures.
One man left Este over a health consideration. Alana shared a story of flying to celebrate New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a friendly slap at midnight.
"When you're going through these setbacks, you just feel like there's no light," notes Alana. "Therefore to be able to share those stories and hear others tell you more outrageous stories, it's so amazing."
A Confident Legacy
You can clearly sense a shift in the band. Today, Haim are more confident of their position in the rock pantheon.
They're festival headliners, with successful albums and an global audience.
But the sister act will consistently be their top priority.
"Me and my siblings have been making music since I was little," concludes Alana. "It's like no alternative that we were destined for. And I'm really grateful we've made it and we're still going strong."