Everyone is Encouraged to Become the Fourth Haim Sisters Member.
"Any idea when you're speaking to Haim?" a text arrives. "My request was to ask if I can be their extra sister."
There is only a single issue: The author likewise desires to be the Haims' newest recruit. And we're in plentiful company. Several famous admirers have openly petitioned for the role.
One thing is obvious an irresistible appeal is at play. The siblings Este, Danielle and Alana started their musical journey performing shows at neighborhood delis with their parents. Now they're multi-time Grammy nominees.
Like all the most iconic ensembles, they're a close gang. Their visuals frequently depict them walking in sync down the streets of Los Angeles. In concert, they perform with such boundless happiness you inevitably think, "I wish to be part of that, too."
"How often on tour that audience members came up to us and said, 'Seeing you perform, I bought a bass'," states Alana, the most junior of the trio. "That's the ultimate honor. That is recognition in itself. We have succeeded if we can inspire people to form a group."
"And thus all is invited to be the honorary part of the family."
Grammy Recognition
The band are connecting from their homes, where they're taking a pause after an major tour in promoting their latest album, I Quit.
They're presently processing the news it's been in the running for best rock album at the Grammys – with Haim the very first female band ever in contention for the trophy.
"I follow the announcements every year, so it sort of feels like a surreal movie when your name is announced," says Alana. "I had to call my sisters to say, 'Did I hear this right or am I imagining things'?"
The weight of the nomination is deeply felt by the trio.
"We really set out to make a rock record this time, so it's a major step," says Alana. "However we're just thankful for the female artists that inspired us."
Heartbreak and Laughter
The record emerged from a period of emotional upheaval. All three sisters were single, and the music inhabits that odd transitional period where you're happy to be free, but not entirely ready to start anew.
The lyrics detail departures and partings. The sisters seek love, but not the kind of love they've experienced. You can hear them determining in real time who they are becoming.
"I adore summary, yes," says Danielle. "I Quit is like a mantra. You have to actively work on shutting out the noise and saying, 'I couldn't care less what people think'."
Development of Style
That developed resilience called for a new sound – more raw and powerful than anything the band had done before.
For Danielle, who worked on producing the album, that started with the percussion.
"The drum sound is such a detailed thing, and I am so passionate about it," she says.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the title of our book," laughs Alana. "I always say, our albums don't start until we find the perfect drum sound."
Anecdotes and Shared Camaraderie
The band's honesty inspired the album's promotional campaign, where the sisters disclosed some of their romantic horror stories.
Someone left Este over a medical consideration. Alana told a story of flying to celebrate New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a casual gesture at midnight.
"Experiencing these heartbreaks, you just feel like there's no light," notes Alana. "So to be able to laugh at those stories and hear others tell you more outrageous stories, it's so amazing."
A Secure Legacy
One can easily sense a evolution in the band. Today, Haim are more assured of their position in the rock pantheon.
They're festival headliners, with chart-topping albums and an worldwide audience.
However the sister act will forever be their number one focus.
"My sisters and I have been playing music since I was little," says Alana. "There is nothing else that we were supposed to do. And I'm really thankful we've gotten here and we're still making music."
