Everyone Are Encouraged to Become the Extra Haim Sister.
"Any idea when you're speaking to Haim?" an inquiry arrives. "I was hoping to ask if I can become their newest bandmate."
There is only one problem: I also desires to be the Haims' additional sibling. And we're not alone. A host of famous fans have openly petitioned for the honor.
One thing is obvious something is going on. The siblings Este, Danielle and Alana began their musical journey playing gigs at small eateries with their parents. Today, they are multi-time Grammy hopefuls.
Like all the best bands, they're a inseparable unit. Their visuals often depict them marching in harmony down the avenues of Los Angeles. In concert, they play with such boundless happiness you can't help but think, "I'd love to be a piece of that, too."
"The amount of times on tour that young girls told us and said, 'After your show, I picked up a guitar'," says Alana, the youngest of the trio. "That's the biggest compliment. That's an award in itself. Our mission is accomplished if we can inspire people to form a group."
"So anyone is invited to be the fourth Haim sister."
Historic Milestone
The band are speaking from a break, where they're recovering after an lengthy tour in for their latest album, I Quit.
They're currently reeling from the news it's been in the running for best rock album at the Grammy Awards β with Haim the pioneering all-woman band ever in contention for the prize.
"I watch the lists every year, so it sort of feels like a surreal movie when your name is called," explains Alana. "I needed to phone my sisters to say, 'Am I hearing this right or am I imagining things'?"
The significance of the accolade isn't lost on the band.
"We really set out to make a guitar-driven album this time, so it's a huge milestone," continues Alana. "But we're just thankful for the female artists that came before us."
Personal Turmoil and Candor
The album was born from a phase of personal change. All three sisters found themselves single, and the music explores that strange in-between place where you're relieved to be free, but not quite ready to move on.
The themes follow breakups and goodbyes. The sisters want love, but not the specific love they've got. You can hear them figuring out in real time who they want to be.
"I adore summary, yes," says Danielle. "I Quit is kind of like a personal statement. You have to make an effort in blocking the outside opinions and saying, 'It doesn't matter to me what people think'."
Evolution of Music
That newfound resilience called for a different sonic direction β more organic and immediate than anything the band had done before.
For Danielle, who worked on producing the album, that began with the percussion.
"The drum sound is such a detailed thing, and I focus so intensely about it," she emphasizes.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the subject of our biography," quips Alana. "I always say, our albums cannot begin until we find the perfect drum sound."
Anecdotes and Collective Camaraderie
The band's candor shaped the album's promotional campaign, where the sisters revealed some of their personal 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 casual gesture at midnight.
"When you're going through these breakups, you just feel like there's no hope," says Alana. "Therefore to be able to share those stories and hear others tell you more outrageous stories, it's therapeutic."
An Assured Future
One can easily sense a change in the band. These days, Haim are more certain of their position in the rock pantheon.
They're top-billed acts, with hit albums and an worldwide following.
But the band will always be their primary focus.
"Me and my siblings have been playing music since I was four," says Alana. "There is nothing else that we were destined for. And I'm really thankful we've reached this point and we're still going strong."