All Fans Are Invited to Be the Extra Haim Sisters Bandmate.
"Any idea when you're interviewing the Haim sisters?" a text reads. "I wanted to ask if I can become their newest bandmate."
There is only one problem: The author likewise wants to be Haim's fourth member. What's more, we are in plentiful company. Multiple famous supporters have publicly begged for the role.
One thing is obvious an irresistible appeal is going on. Sisters Este, Danielle and Alana began their career playing gigs at neighborhood delis with their parents. Now they're multi-time Grammy contenders.
In the tradition of the greatest groups, they're a tight-knit gang. Their music videos often depict them walking in harmony down the avenues of Los Angeles. On stage, they play with such boundless exuberance you can't help but think, "I'd love to be involved in that, too."
"The numerous instances on tour that young girls approached us and said, 'Watching you live, I got a drum kit'," remarks Alana, the most junior of the trio. "That is the greatest compliment. It is a prize in itself. We have succeeded if we can encourage young girls to start a band."
"Therefore anyone gets an invitation to be the fourth member of Haim."
Historic Recognition
The band are connecting from a break, where they're resting up after an major tour in for their fourth album, I Quit.
They're presently reeling from the news it's been shortlisted for a top rock honor at the Grammy Awards – with Haim the pioneering all-female band ever in contention for the trophy.
"I tune into the lists every year, so it sort of feels like a surreal movie when your name is announced," says Alana. "I immediately called my sisters to say, 'Am I hearing this right or am I hallucinating'?"
The significance of the honor is deeply felt by the band.
"We really set out to make a guitar-driven album this time, so it's a major achievement," continues Alana. "But we're just thankful for the pioneers that inspired us."
Heartbreak and Laughter
The record came out of a period of emotional upheaval. All three sisters ended up single, and the music captures that odd transitional period where you're happy to be free, but not entirely ready to move on.
The lyrics track departures and farewells. The sisters want love, but not the kind of love they've experienced. You can hear them figuring out in real life who they want to be.
"I love summary, yes," agrees Danielle. "I Quit is essentially a slogan. You have to consciously practice ignoring the criticism and saying, 'I couldn't care less what people think'."
Refinement of Style
That recent toughness called for a new sound – more raw and direct than anything the band had done before.
For Danielle, who helped produce the album, that started with 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 subject of our memoir," laughs Alana. "Our motto is, our albums won't commence until we find the right drum sound."
Anecdotes and Collective Camaraderie
The trio's openness inspired the album's promotional campaign, where the sisters shared some of their romantic tales.
A former partner broke up with Este over a medical consideration. Alana shared a story of flying to spend New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a friendly slap at midnight.
"During these setbacks, you just feel like there's only darkness," notes Alana. "So to be able to laugh at those stories and hear others tell you even crazier stories, it's incredible."
An Assured Path
You can clearly sense a change in the band. These days, Haim are more certain of their place in the rock pantheon.
They're top-billed acts, with chart-topping albums and an global audience.
Yet the band will consistently be their number one commitment.
"My sisters and I have been playing music since I was little," says Alana. "There is nothing else that we were meant to do. And I'm really fortunate we've gotten here and we're still kicking."