Everyone is Encouraged to Be the Extra Haim Member.
"Do you know when you'll be chatting with the Haim sisters?" an inquiry reads. "I wanted to ask if I can join as their newest bandmate."
However, there remains a single issue: The author likewise desires to be Haim's additional sibling. Furthermore, we are not alone. Multiple celebrated fans have openly coveted the role.
One thing is obvious a special quality is happening. The siblings Este, Danielle and Alana launched their musical journey performing shows at neighborhood delis with their family. Presently, they stand as repeated Grammy Award contenders.
Similar to the best ensembles, they're a close gang. Their visuals frequently feature them marching in unison down the avenues of Los Angeles. In concert, they play with such boundless exuberance you find yourself thinking, "I want to be involved in that, too."
"The amount of times on tour that audience members came up to us and said, 'Watching you live, I bought a guitar'," remarks Alana, the most junior of the sisters. "That's the ultimate compliment. It is a prize in itself. We have succeeded if we can motivate young girls to form a group."
"So anyone gets an invitation to be the fourth member of Haim."
Grammy Milestone
The band are connecting from their homes, where they're resting up after an lengthy tour in promoting their new album, I Quit.
They're currently reeling from the news it's been nominated for a top rock honor at the Grammy Awards – with Haim the very first female band ever in the running for the award.
"I follow the nominations every year, so it sort of feels like an out-of-body experience when your name is called," says Alana. "I had to call my sisters to say, 'Did we just hear this correctly or am I imagining things'?"
The importance of the nomination isn't lost on the band.
"We really set out to make a rock record this time, so it's a huge step," continues Alana. "However we're just appreciative for the pioneers that paved the way."
Heartbreak and Humour
The album came out of a phase of emotional upheaval. All three sisters found themselves single, and the music inhabits that unique liminal space where you're glad to be free, but not quite ready to let go.
The lyrics follow endings and goodbyes. The sisters desire love, but not the specific love they've got. You can hear them figuring out in real life who they aspire to be.
"That's a perfect description, yes," says Danielle. "I Quit is essentially a mantra. You have to consciously practice blocking the outside opinions and saying, 'It doesn't matter to me what people think'."
Refinement of Music
That developed confidence demanded a new sound – more raw and immediate than any of the music the band had done before.
For Danielle, who helped produce the album, that was founded on the drum sound.
"The drum sound is such a detailed thing, and I am so passionate about it," she emphasizes.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the title of our memoir," quips Alana. "Our motto is, our albums don't start until we find the ideal drum sound."
Experiences and Collective Laughter
The band's openness fueled the album's rollout, where the sisters disclosed some of their personal tales.
One man ended things with Este over a health consideration. Alana shared a story of flying to spend 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 hope," says Alana. "So to be able to share those stories and have them tell you more outrageous stories, it's therapeutic."
An Assured Path
It's not difficult sense a evolution in the band. Today, Haim are more certain of their place in the rock pantheon.
They're top-billed acts, with successful albums and an international following.
Yet Haim will consistently be their number one commitment.
"My sisters and I have been playing music since I was four," concludes Alana. "It feels as if nothing else that we were supposed to do. And I'm really thankful we've gotten here and we're still making music."