All Fans Are Welcome to Be the Additional Haim Member.
"When are you speaking to the Haim sisters?" an inquiry pops up. "I wanted to ask if I can become their extra sister."
There's just a single issue: I also wants to be the Haims' fourth member. And we're far from alone. Several famous fans have also begged for the position.
It's clear something is going on. Sisters Este, Danielle and Alana began their musical journey performing shows at local delicatessens with their family. Today, they are multiple Grammy Award nominees.
Similar to the greatest ensembles, they're a inseparable gang. Their videos frequently show them striding in sync down the roads of Los Angeles. On stage, they play with such boundless joy you can't help but think, "I wish to be a piece of that, too."
"How often on tour that fans came up to us and said, 'Seeing you perform, I picked up a drum kit'," says Alana, the youngest of the sisters. "That's the greatest honour. It is a prize in itself. Our mission is accomplished if we can encourage others to start a band."
"So anyone is invited to be the next Haim sister."
Award Recognition
The group are speaking from home, where they're recovering after an extensive tour in promoting their new album, I Quit.
They're presently reeling from the news it's been in the running for a top rock honor at the Grammys – with Haim the very first female band ever in contention for the prize.
"I follow the announcements every year, so it sort of feels like a surreal movie when your name is read out," says Alana. "I immediately called my sisters to say, 'Did we just hear this correctly or am I imagining things'?"
The significance of the accolade resonates with the trio.
"We deliberately set out to make a rock record this time, so it's a huge step," continues Alana. "Yet we're just thankful for the women that inspired us."
Heartbreak and Candor
The record was born from a phase of personal change. All three sisters found themselves single, and the music inhabits that odd transitional period where you're glad to be free, but not yet ready to move on.
The themes detail departures and partings. The sisters desire love, but not the specific love they've experienced. You can hear them working out in real life who they want to be.
"I love description, yes," responds Danielle. "I Quit is kind of like a mantra. You have to actively work on ignoring the outside opinions and saying, 'It doesn't matter to me what people think'."
Development of Sound
That developed confidence demanded a new sound – more unpolished and powerful than any of the music the band had done before.
For Danielle, who co-produced the album, that started with the percussion.
"The drum sound is such a nuanced thing, and I care so much about it," she emphasizes.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the name of our book," jokes Alana. "Our motto is, our albums don't start until we find the ideal drum sound."
Stories and Collective Humor
The band's honesty inspired the album's rollout, where the sisters disclosed some of their romantic misadventures.
A former partner broke up with Este over a health concern. Alana recalled a story of travelling 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 only darkness," says Alana. "So to be able to share those stories and hear others tell you even crazier stories, it's incredible."
A Secure Legacy
You can clearly sense a evolution in the band. Now, Haim are more assured of their position in the music world.
They're major draws, with successful albums and an global following.
But Haim will always be their primary priority.
"My sisters and I have been making 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 reached this point and we're still going strong."