All Fans Are Encouraged to Become the Extra Haim Bandmate.
"Any idea when you're chatting with the Haim sisters?" a message reads. "My request was to ask if I can be their fourth member."
There is only a key snag: The author likewise wants to be Haim's newest recruit. And we're far from alone. Multiple celebrated supporters have also coveted the role.
The evidence suggests an irresistible appeal is happening. The siblings Este, Danielle and Alana launched their career playing gigs at local delicatessens with their parents. Today, they are multi-time Grammy Award hopefuls.
Like all the best bands, they're a inseparable trio. Their visuals frequently feature them walking in sync down the roads of Los Angeles. On stage, they perform with such unfettered exuberance you can't help but think, "I want to be involved in that, too."
"How often on tour that audience members told us and said, 'After your show, I bought a bass'," remarks Alana, the most junior of the sisters. "That is the ultimate compliment. It is a prize in itself. We have succeeded if we can encourage others to start a band."
"And thus anyone is invited to be the fourth Haim sister."
Historic Recognition
The group are speaking from home, where they're taking a pause after an extensive tour in for their new album, I Quit.
They're right now reeling from the news it's been in the running for Best Rock Album at the Grammy Awards – with Haim the very first female band ever in consideration for the trophy.
"I follow the nominations every year, so it sort of feels like The Truman Show when your name is called," notes Alana. "I had to call my sisters to say, 'Did I hear this right or am I dreaming'?"
The significance of the nomination is deeply felt by the trio.
"We deliberately set out to make a guitar-driven album this time, so it's a huge step," continues Alana. "However we're just thankful for the women that paved the way."
Personal Turmoil and Humour
The album came out of a phase of transition. All three sisters found themselves single, and the music captures that odd in-between place where you're relieved to be free, but not quite ready to start anew.
The words follow departures and goodbyes. The sisters seek love, but not the relationships they've got. You can hear them working out in real time who they want to be.
"I adore way of putting it, yes," responds Danielle. "I Quit is like a slogan. You have to consciously practice shutting out the criticism and saying, 'I couldn't care less what people think'."
Evolution of Style
That newfound toughness called for a new sound – more unpolished and powerful than anything the band had done before.
For Danielle, who helped produce the album, that was founded on the drums.
"Percussion is such a nuanced thing, and I focus so intensely about it," she says.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the title of our memoir," quips Alana. "I've said it, our albums cannot begin until we find the perfect drum sound."
Anecdotes and Shared Laughter
The band's honesty inspired the album's marketing, where the sisters revealed some of their romantic horror stories.
One man left Este over a medical consideration. Alana shared a story of travelling to celebrate New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a casual gesture at midnight.
"When you're going through these setbacks, you just feel like there's no light," notes Alana. "Therefore to be able to share those stories and hear others tell you more outrageous stories, it's therapeutic."
A Confident Future
One can easily sense a change in the band. Now, Haim are more confident of their position in the rock pantheon.
They're top-billed acts, with successful albums and an global fan base.
Yet Haim will consistently be their number one priority.
"My sisters and I have been making music since I was four," shares Alana. "It's like nothing else that we were meant to do. And I'm really fortunate we've made it and we're still going strong."