All Fans Are Welcome to Become the Additional Haim Member.
"Do you know when you'll be interviewing the Haim sisters?" a text reads. "I was hoping to ask if I can join as their fourth member."
There's just a key snag: The sender also wants to be Haim's fourth member. Furthermore, we are far from alone. Several high-profile fans have openly begged for the honor.
It's clear a special quality is going on. Sisters Este, Danielle and Alana began their career doing sets at neighborhood delis with their parents. Presently, they stand as multi-time Grammy Award contenders.
Like all the greatest ensembles, they're a tight-knit gang. Their visuals frequently depict them striding in harmony down the avenues of Los Angeles. In concert, they jam 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 audience members told us and said, 'Seeing you perform, I bought a bass'," states Alana, the youngest of the Haim siblings. "That is the biggest honour. That is recognition in itself. Our mission is accomplished if we can inspire people to form a group."
"So all is invited to be the honorary Haim sister."
Historic Nod
The band have called into their homes, where they're recovering after an extensive tour in for their latest album, I Quit.
They're right now processing the news it's been in the running for Best Rock Album at the Grammy Awards β with Haim the very first all-female band ever in contention for the prize.
"I tune into the lists every year, so it sort of feels like an out-of-body experience when your name is announced," explains Alana. "I needed to phone my sisters to say, 'Did I hear this right or am I dreaming'?"
The significance of the accolade isn't lost on the band.
"We really set out to make a rock album this time, so it's a major step," adds Alana. "Yet we're just grateful for the women that paved the way."
Personal Turmoil and Laughter
The record emerged from a time of transition. All three sisters were single, and the music explores that odd transitional period where you're relieved to be free, but not entirely ready to start anew.
The words detail breakups and farewells. The sisters want love, but not the kind of love they've had. You can hear them figuring out in real life who they aspire to be.
"I love description, yes," says Danielle. "I Quit is essentially a personal statement. You have to actively work on shutting out the outside opinions and saying, 'I couldn't care less what people think'."
Refinement of Sound
That developed confidence demanded a different sonic direction β more organic and powerful than anything the band had done before.
For Danielle, who co-produced the album, that was founded on the drums.
"Percussion is such a nuanced thing, and I am so passionate about it," she says.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the subject of our memoir," laughs Alana. "I always say, our albums don't start until we find the right drum sound."
Stories and Shared Laughter
The trio's candor inspired the album's promotional campaign, where the sisters revealed some of their romantic misadventures.
Someone ended things with Este over a medical concern. Alana shared a story of travelling to spend New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a casual gesture at midnight.
"When you're going through these breakups, you just feel like there's no hope," explains Alana. "So to be able to share those stories and have them tell you wilder stories, it's incredible."
A Secure Future
You can clearly sense a change in the band. These days, Haim are more assured of their place in the music world.
They're festival headliners, with chart-topping albums and an global fan base.
But Haim will forever be their primary commitment.
"We have been making music since I was a young child," concludes Alana. "It feels as if no other path that we were supposed to do. And I'm really thankful we've made it and we're still kicking."
