The World is Encouraged to Join as the Extra Haim Sister.
"Any idea when you're chatting with the Haim sisters?" an inquiry arrives. "My request was to ask if I can join as their extra sister."
However, there remains one problem: The author likewise desires to be Haim's newest recruit. Furthermore, we are far from alone. A host of high-profile admirers have also petitioned for the role.
It's clear something is going on. Sisters Este, Danielle and Alana launched their career playing gigs at local delicatessens with their family. Now they're multiple Grammy nominees.
Similar to the best ensembles, they're a close unit. Their videos repeatedly depict them walking in harmony down the avenues of Los Angeles. During performances, they perform with such boundless joy you find yourself thinking, "I want to be part of that, too."
"How often on tour that fans approached us and said, 'Watching you live, I bought a bass'," states Alana, the youngest of the sisters. "It is the ultimate compliment. It is a prize in itself. We have succeeded if we can encourage others to make music."
"So everyone are welcome to be the fourth member of Haim."
Historic Nod
The trio are speaking from home, where they're taking a pause after an extensive tour in support of their fourth album, I Quit.
They're currently processing the news it's been shortlisted for Best Rock Album at the Grammys – with Haim the pioneering female band ever in the running for the award.
"I follow the lists every year, so it almost feels like The Truman Show when your name is called," notes Alana. "I immediately called my sisters to say, 'Did we just hear this right or am I imagining things'?"
The significance of the honor isn't lost on the sisters.
"We really set out to make a rock album this time, so it's a significant achievement," continues Alana. "But we're just grateful for the female artists that inspired us."
Personal Turmoil and Candor
The album was born from a phase of emotional upheaval. All three sisters found themselves single, and the music captures that strange transitional period where you're relieved to be free, but not yet ready to start anew.
The words follow endings and goodbyes. The sisters seek love, but not the relationships they've got. You can hear them determining in real life 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'."
Development of Style
That developed confidence called for a fresh approach – more raw and immediate than any of the music the band had done before.
For Danielle, who co-produced the album, that began with the percussion.
"Percussion is such a detailed thing, and I care so much about it," she emphasizes.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the subject of our memoir," quips Alana. "I've said it, our albums won't commence until we find the right drum sound."
Experiences and Shared Humor
The band's candor shaped the album's promotional campaign, where the sisters revealed some of their dating horror stories.
Someone left Este over a medical concern. Alana shared a story of flying to spend New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a casual gesture at midnight.
"During these breakups, you just feel like there's no hope," notes Alana. "So to be able to find humor in those stories and have them tell you wilder stories, it's so amazing."
An Assured Path
You can clearly sense a evolution in the band. Today, Haim are more assured of their standing in the rock pantheon.
They're top-billed acts, with hit albums and an global audience.
Yet the band will forever be their number one priority.
"Me and my siblings have been performing since I was little," says Alana. "It's like no other path that we were supposed to do. And I'm really fortunate we've made it and we're still kicking."
