Everyone Are Encouraged to Become the Fourth Haim Bandmate.
"Any idea when you're interviewing the band?" a message pops up. "I was hoping to ask if I can join as their extra sister."
There's just a key snag: The author likewise longs to be Haim's fourth member. And we're not alone. A host of high-profile fans have also begged for the honor.
The evidence suggests something is happening. The siblings Este, Danielle and Alana launched their musical journey playing gigs at neighborhood delis with their family. Today, they are repeated Grammy Award hopefuls.
In the tradition of the most iconic ensembles, they're a inseparable gang. Their visuals frequently show them walking in sync down the roads of Los Angeles. On stage, they jam with such unfettered joy you inevitably think, "I'd love to be involved in that, too."
"How often on tour that audience members came up to us and said, 'Seeing you perform, I got a bass'," says Alana, the youngest of the sisters. "It is the ultimate honour. That's an award in itself. We have succeeded if we can encourage others to start a band."
"So everyone are welcome to be the fourth member of Haim."
Award Recognition
The group are speaking from home, where they're resting up after an lengthy tour in support of their latest album, I Quit.
They're right now reeling from the news it's been nominated for best rock album at the Grammy Awards β with Haim the very first all-woman band ever in consideration for the prize.
"I watch the announcements every year, so it sort of feels like a surreal movie when your name is announced," explains Alana. "I had to call my sisters to say, 'Did we just hear this correctly or am I dreaming'?"
The significance of the honor isn't lost on the trio.
"We really set out to make a guitar-driven album this time, so it's a significant step," says Alana. "However we're just thankful for the female artists that inspired us."
Personal Turmoil and Laughter
The album was born from a time of personal change. All three sisters ended up single, and the music inhabits that unique liminal space where you're glad to be free, but not quite ready to move on.
The words track departures and partings. The sisters want love, but not the kind of love they've got. You can hear them working out in real life who they want to be.
"I adore summary, yes," agrees Danielle. "I Quit is essentially a slogan. You have to actively work on blocking the outside opinions and saying, 'I couldn't care less what people think'."
Evolution of Music
That newfound confidence demanded a different sonic direction β more unpolished and direct than any of the music the band had done before.
For Danielle, who worked on producing the album, that was founded on the drum sound.
"Percussion is such a detailed thing, and I care so much about it," she says.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the name of our book," quips Alana. "Our motto is, our albums don't start until we find the ideal drum sound."
Anecdotes and Shared Laughter
The trio's honesty shaped the album's rollout, where the sisters revealed some of their dating tales.
A former partner 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 friendly slap at midnight.
"Experiencing these heartbreaks, you just feel like there's no light," explains Alana. "So to be able to laugh at those stories and hear others tell you more outrageous stories, it's incredible."
A Confident Legacy
One can easily sense a change in the band. Today, Haim are more confident of their position in the industry.
They're festival headliners, with hit albums and an global fan base.
But Haim will forever be their number one priority.
"My sisters and I have been performing since I was little," concludes Alana. "It feels as if nothing else that we were destined for. And I'm really thankful we've gotten here and we're still going strong."
