All Fans is Encouraged to Be the Fourth Haim Sister.
"When are you interviewing Haim?" a message arrives. "I was hoping to ask if I can be their newest bandmate."
There is only a single issue: The sender also longs to be Haim's additional sibling. Furthermore, we are in plentiful company. Several celebrated admirers have also begged for the position.
It's clear a special quality is going on. The siblings Este, Danielle and Alana started their musical journey playing gigs at small eateries with their parents. Today, they are multiple Grammy Award hopefuls.
Like all the greatest bands, they're a tight-knit unit. Their videos often depict them striding in harmony down the roads of Los Angeles. In concert, they perform with such pure joy you inevitably think, "I'd love to be a piece of that, too."
"The numerous instances on tour that fans told us and said, 'Watching you live, I bought a bass'," says Alana, the youngest of the sisters. "That's the greatest honour. It is a prize in itself. We've done our job if we can inspire others to make music."
"So everyone is invited to be the next member of Haim."
Award Nod
The band have called into a break, where they're taking a pause after an extensive tour in for their fourth album, I Quit.
They're right now celebrating the news it's been shortlisted for a top rock honor at the Grammy Awards – with Haim the first female band ever in contention for the award.
"I follow the announcements every year, so it almost feels like The Truman Show when your name is called," notes Alana. "I had to call my sisters to say, 'Did we just hear this correctly or am I dreaming'?"
The importance of the honor resonates with the sisters.
"We really set out to make a rock record this time, so it's a significant achievement," continues Alana. "But we're just grateful for the women that paved the way."
Heartbreak and Candor
The album came out of a period of personal change. All three sisters found themselves single, and the music captures that strange transitional period where you're happy to be free, but not entirely ready to let go.
The lyrics detail departures and partings. The sisters seek love, but not the kind of love they've got. You can hear them figuring out in real time who they aspire to be.
"I adore summary, yes," says Danielle. "I Quit is essentially a personal statement. You have to actively work on ignoring the noise and saying, 'I couldn't care less what people think'."
Evolution of Music
That newfound resilience required a different sonic direction – more organic and powerful than any of the music the band had done before.
For Danielle, who helped produce the album, that was founded on the drums.
"Drums are such a specific thing, and I focus so intensely about it," she states.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the subject of our memoir," jokes Alana. "I always say, our albums don't start until we find the perfect drum sound."
Experiences and Shared Camaraderie
The trio's honesty fueled the album's marketing, where the sisters shared some of their romantic horror stories.
A former partner broke up with Este over a medical concern. Alana shared a story of travelling to spend New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a friendly slap at midnight.
"When you're going through these breakups, you just feel like there's no light," explains Alana. "So to be able to find humor in those stories and have them tell you wilder stories, it's therapeutic."
A Secure Legacy
It's not difficult sense a change in the band. Now, Haim are more certain of their standing in the industry.
They're top-billed acts, with chart-topping albums and an international following.
Yet Haim will always be their primary commitment.
"My sisters and I have been performing since I was a young child," concludes Alana. "It's like nothing else that we were destined for. And I'm really thankful we've made it and we're still making music."