Everyone is Encouraged to Become the Extra Haim Sisters Member.
"Do you know when you'll be interviewing Haim?" a message reads. "I wanted to ask if I can join as their fourth member."
There is only a key snag: The sender also longs to be the Haims' additional sibling. And we're in plentiful company. Multiple celebrated fans have openly begged for the honor.
The evidence suggests a special quality is going on. The siblings Este, Danielle and Alana started their path doing sets at neighborhood delis with their family. Now they're multi-time Grammy Award contenders.
Similar to the best ensembles, they're a inseparable trio. Their music videos often feature them striding in unison down the roads of Los Angeles. During performances, they play with such unfettered exuberance you find yourself thinking, "I'd love to be a piece of that, too."
"The numerous instances on tour that young girls told us and said, 'After your show, I got a drum kit'," remarks Alana, the most junior of the sisters. "That's the biggest honour. That's an award in itself. Our mission is accomplished if we can inspire young girls to form a group."
"And thus all are welcome to be the honorary member of Haim."
Award Nod
The band have called into their homes, where they're resting up after an major tour in promoting their fourth album, I Quit.
They're presently celebrating the news it's been nominated for best rock album at the Grammy Awards – with Haim the first all-woman band ever in the running for the award.
"I watch the nominations every year, so it sort of feels like a surreal movie when your name is announced," says Alana. "I had to call my sisters to say, 'Am I hearing this right or am I imagining things'?"
The weight of the accolade resonates with the band.
"We truly set out to make a guitar-driven album this time, so it's a significant milestone," says Alana. "But we're just grateful for the female artists that paved the way."
Heartbreak and Laughter
The album came out of a time of emotional upheaval. All three sisters found themselves single, and the music explores that strange in-between place where you're happy to be free, but not entirely ready to start anew.
The lyrics track 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 want to be.
"I adore way of putting it, yes," says Danielle. "I Quit is essentially a personal statement. You have to actively work on ignoring the criticism and saying, 'I couldn't care less what people think'."
Development of Style
That newfound toughness demanded a new sound – more unpolished and immediate than any of the music the band had done before.
For Danielle, who worked on producing the album, that started with the drum sound.
"Percussion is such a specific thing, and I am so passionate about it," she emphasizes.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the name of our biography," quips Alana. "I've said it, our albums won't commence until we find the perfect drum sound."
Stories and Shared Camaraderie
The band's candor shaped the album's promotional campaign, where the sisters shared some of their romantic horror stories.
Someone broke up with Este over a medical consideration. Alana recalled a story of flying to celebrate New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a friendly slap at midnight.
"When you're going through these heartbreaks, you just feel like there's no hope," explains Alana. "Therefore to be able to find humor in those stories and have them tell you more outrageous stories, it's therapeutic."
A Confident Legacy
You can clearly sense a change in the band. Now, Haim are more assured of their place in the music world.
They're top-billed acts, with chart-topping albums and an international fan base.
However Haim will consistently be their primary commitment.
"Me and my siblings have been performing since I was a young child," concludes Alana. "There is no alternative that we were destined for. And I'm really thankful we've made it and we're still going strong."