All Fans is Encouraged to Become the Additional Haim Sister.
"Any idea when you're speaking to the Haim sisters?" a message pops up. "I was hoping to ask if I can be their extra sister."
There is only a key snag: I also longs to be the Haims' newest recruit. What's more, we are in plentiful company. A host of high-profile supporters have also petitioned for the position.
One thing is obvious something is going on. Sisters Este, Danielle and Alana began their musical journey doing sets at local delicatessens with their family. Today, they are multiple Grammy Award contenders.
Like all the best groups, they're a inseparable unit. Their videos repeatedly show them walking in sync down the streets of Los Angeles. On stage, they play with such boundless exuberance you find yourself thinking, "I'd love to be involved in that, too."
"The numerous instances on tour that young girls came up to us and said, 'Watching you live, I got a bass'," states Alana, the youngest of the trio. "That's the ultimate honor. That is recognition in itself. We have succeeded if we can encourage people to form a group."
"So everyone gets an invitation to be the next member of Haim."
Grammy Recognition
The band are connecting from a break, where they're recovering after an lengthy tour in for their fourth album, I Quit.
They're presently processing the news it's been shortlisted for a top rock honor at the Grammys – with Haim the very first female band ever in consideration for the award.
"I follow the lists every year, so it almost feels like a surreal movie when your name is announced," says Alana. "I had to call my sisters to say, 'Did we just hear this correctly or am I hallucinating'?"
The significance of the accolade is deeply felt by the trio.
"We deliberately set out to make a rock album this time, so it's a major achievement," says Alana. "Yet we're just grateful for the female artists that inspired us."
Emotional Upheaval and Candor
The record came out of a time of personal change. All three sisters found themselves single, and the music captures that unique liminal space where you're happy to be free, but not quite ready to move on.
The lyrics detail endings and farewells. The sisters seek love, but not the kind of love they've experienced. You can hear them determining in real life who they are becoming.
"I adore description, yes," agrees Danielle. "I Quit is essentially a slogan. You have to consciously practice ignoring the outside opinions and saying, 'I couldn't care less what people think'."
Evolution of Sound
That developed resilience required a fresh approach – more organic and immediate than any of the music the band had done before.
For Danielle, who worked on producing the album, that began with the drum sound.
"The drum sound is such a detailed thing, and I focus so intensely about it," she states.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the title of our book," quips Alana. "Our motto is, our albums won't commence until we find the perfect drum sound."
Experiences and Collective Laughter
The trio's honesty fueled the album's marketing, where the sisters revealed some of their personal horror stories.
One man broke up with Este over a health consideration. Alana shared a story of travelling to celebrate New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a friendly slap at midnight.
"Experiencing these setbacks, you just feel like there's no light," notes Alana. "So to be able to laugh at those stories and have them tell you more outrageous stories, it's therapeutic."
An Assured Future
One can easily sense a shift in the band. These days, Haim are more assured of their place in the industry.
They're major draws, with hit albums and an worldwide audience.
But Haim will forever be their primary commitment.
"We have been playing music since I was a young child," concludes Alana. "It feels as if no alternative that we were meant to do. And I'm really thankful we've gotten here and we're still making music."