All Fans is Encouraged to Become the Extra Haim Sisters Member.
"Any idea when you're chatting with the band?" an inquiry pops up. "My request was to ask if I can be their newest bandmate."
There's just a single issue: The sender also wants to be the Haims' newest recruit. And we're in plentiful company. Several celebrated fans have also begged for the honor.
One thing is obvious something is at play. The siblings Este, Danielle and Alana started their career doing sets at neighborhood delis with their family. Today, they are multi-time Grammy Award contenders.
Like all the most iconic bands, they're a inseparable gang. Their videos repeatedly depict them walking in harmony down the streets of Los Angeles. In concert, they play with such unfettered exuberance you inevitably think, "I'd love to be part of that, too."
"The amount of times on tour that young girls came up to us and said, 'Watching you live, I got a drum kit'," remarks Alana, the youngest of the sisters. "It is the greatest honour. That is recognition in itself. We have succeeded if we can inspire young girls to form a group."
"And thus all is invited to be the fourth Haim sister."
Historic Recognition
The group have called into their homes, where they're recovering after an extensive tour in promoting their new album, I Quit.
They're right now celebrating the news it's been nominated for Best Rock Album at the Grammy Awards – with Haim the first all-woman band ever in consideration for the award.
"I tune into the announcements every year, so it almost feels like a surreal movie when your name is announced," notes Alana. "I immediately called my sisters to say, 'Did I hear this right or am I imagining things'?"
The weight of the honor isn't lost on the trio.
"We truly set out to make a rock album this time, so it's a huge step," continues Alana. "But we're just grateful for the female artists that paved the way."
Emotional Upheaval and Humour
The project came out of a time of transition. All three sisters found themselves single, and the music captures that unique in-between place where you're relieved to be free, but not entirely ready to let go.
The words detail endings and farewells. The sisters seek love, but not the specific love they've had. You can hear them determining in the moment who they are becoming.
"I love summary, yes," responds Danielle. "I Quit is like a slogan. You have to make an effort in blocking the outside opinions and saying, 'It doesn't matter to me what people think'."
Development of Music
That newfound toughness required a fresh approach – more organic and powerful than any of the music the band had done before.
For Danielle, who helped produce the album, that began with the percussion.
"Percussion is such a nuanced thing, and I am so passionate about it," she emphasizes.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the subject of our biography," jokes Alana. "I've said it, our albums don't start until we find the perfect drum sound."
Experiences and Shared Camaraderie
The trio's honesty inspired the album's marketing, where the sisters disclosed some of their romantic tales.
Someone left Este over a health concern. Alana recalled 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 only darkness," explains Alana. "So to be able to share those stories and hear others tell you wilder stories, it's incredible."
An Assured Path
You can clearly sense a evolution in the band. Now, Haim are more certain of their standing in the rock pantheon.
They're top-billed acts, with chart-topping albums and an worldwide fan base.
However the sister act will consistently be their primary focus.
"Me and my siblings have been playing music since I was four," shares Alana. "It feels as if nothing else that we were supposed to do. And I'm really thankful we've made it and we're still kicking."