All Fans is Welcome to Be the Extra Haim Sister.
"Any idea when you're interviewing the Haim sisters?" a message arrives. "My request was to ask if I can join as their fourth member."
There is only a single issue: The sender also desires to be Haim's fourth member. And we're far from alone. Multiple famous admirers have publicly begged for the role.
It's clear an irresistible appeal is happening. Sisters Este, Danielle and Alana started their career doing sets at local delicatessens with their parents. Presently, they stand as multi-time Grammy Award hopefuls.
Like all the best ensembles, they're a close trio. Their visuals repeatedly show them marching in unison down the roads of Los Angeles. In concert, they jam with such unfettered happiness you can't help but think, "I want to be part of that, too."
"The amount of times on tour that audience members approached us and said, 'After your show, I bought a guitar'," remarks Alana, the most junior of the trio. "That's the ultimate honour. It is a prize in itself. Our mission is accomplished if we can motivate people to form a group."
"And thus everyone gets an invitation to be the honorary member of Haim."
Grammy Recognition
The trio have called into their homes, where they're recovering after an major tour in support of their fourth album, I Quit.
They're right now reeling from the news it's been shortlisted for a top rock honor at the Grammy Awards – with Haim the pioneering female band ever in consideration for the trophy.
"I follow the lists every year, so it kind of feels like an out-of-body experience when your name is called," explains Alana. "I needed to phone my sisters to say, 'Did we just hear this correctly or am I imagining things'?"
The significance of the honor resonates with the sisters.
"We deliberately set out to make a rock record this time, so it's a major step," says Alana. "Yet we're just thankful for the female artists that inspired us."
Heartbreak and Candor
The project came out of a phase of personal change. All three sisters found themselves single, and the music captures that unique liminal space where you're happy to be free, but not entirely ready to let go.
The words follow departures and farewells. The sisters desire love, but not the relationships they've got. You can hear them determining in the moment who they aspire to be.
"I adore summary, yes," responds Danielle. "I Quit is essentially a personal statement. You have to actively work on blocking the noise and saying, 'I don't give what people think'."
Refinement of Style
That developed toughness called for a different sonic direction – more raw and immediate than any of the music the band had done before.
For Danielle, who helped produce the album, that began with the drum sound.
"Percussion is such a nuanced thing, and I focus so intensely about it," she emphasizes.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the title of our biography," laughs Alana. "I always say, our albums won't commence until we find the right drum sound."
Stories and Collective Laughter
The band's openness shaped the album's rollout, where the sisters disclosed some of their romantic tales.
One man left Este over a health consideration. Alana recalled a story of travelling to celebrate New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a casual gesture at midnight.
"Experiencing these setbacks, you just feel like there's only darkness," notes Alana. "Thus to be able to laugh at those stories and hear others tell you more outrageous stories, it's therapeutic."
A Confident Future
You can clearly sense a change in the band. These days, Haim are more assured of their standing in the rock pantheon.
They're festival headliners, with successful albums and an worldwide following.
Yet the band will consistently be their top commitment.
"My sisters and I have been making music since I was a young child," concludes Alana. "It feels as if no other path that we were destined for. And I'm really grateful we've reached this point and we're still kicking."