All Fans is Encouraged to Be the Extra Haim Sisters Bandmate.
"Any idea when you're interviewing the band?" an inquiry arrives. "I wanted to ask if I can become their newest bandmate."
There's just a key snag: The sender also wants to be Haim's fourth member. And we're far from alone. A host of high-profile supporters have publicly coveted the role.
The evidence suggests a special quality is at play. Sisters Este, Danielle and Alana began their musical journey playing gigs at neighborhood delis with their parents. Presently, they stand as multiple Grammy contenders.
In the tradition of the greatest bands, they're a tight-knit unit. Their music videos frequently feature them marching in unison down the streets of Los Angeles. On stage, they perform with such boundless exuberance you can't help but think, "I want to be part of that, too."
"How often on tour that fans told us and said, 'Seeing you perform, I bought a drum kit'," remarks Alana, the most junior of the sisters. "That's the greatest honor. It is a prize in itself. We have succeeded if we can inspire people to make music."
"So everyone is invited to be the next part of the family."
Award Milestone
The trio are speaking from a break, where they're recovering after an lengthy tour in promoting their fourth album, I Quit.
They're presently reeling from the news it's been nominated for a top rock honor at the Grammy Awards β with Haim the pioneering female band ever in consideration for the prize.
"I tune into the announcements every year, so it kind of feels like a surreal movie when your name is called," says Alana. "I had to call my sisters to say, 'Am I hearing this correctly or am I imagining things'?"
The weight of the honor resonates with the trio.
"We truly set out to make a rock record this time, so it's a major achievement," adds Alana. "Yet we're just grateful for the women that inspired us."
Heartbreak and Laughter
The record came out of a period of transition. All three sisters were single, and the music captures that odd transitional period where you're happy to be free, but not yet ready to let go.
The themes track breakups and farewells. The sisters want love, but not the specific love they've experienced. You can hear them determining in real time who they are becoming.
"That's a perfect description, yes," agrees Danielle. "I Quit is essentially a slogan. You have to consciously practice shutting out the noise and saying, 'It doesn't matter to me what people think'."
Evolution of Sound
That developed confidence required a different sonic direction β more organic and powerful than any of the music the band had done before.
For Danielle, who worked on producing the album, that began with the percussion.
"Drums are such a detailed thing, and I focus so intensely about it," she emphasizes.
"'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 perfect drum sound."
Stories and Shared Camaraderie
The trio's openness shaped the album's rollout, where the sisters revealed some of their personal horror stories.
Someone broke up with Este over a medical concern. Alana told a story of travelling to celebrate New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a casual gesture at midnight.
"During these heartbreaks, you just feel like there's only darkness," explains Alana. "Therefore to be able to share those stories and hear others tell you wilder stories, it's incredible."
A Secure Path
You can clearly sense a change in the band. Now, Haim are more certain of their standing in the industry.
They're major draws, with chart-topping albums and an worldwide following.
But the sister act will consistently be their top focus.
"My sisters and I have been performing since I was four," says Alana. "It feels as if no other path that we were destined for. And I'm really fortunate we've made it and we're still going strong."