All Fans is Welcome to Be the Additional Haim Sisters Bandmate.
"Any idea when you're interviewing the band?" an inquiry pops up. "I was hoping to ask if I can become their fourth member."
There is only one problem: The sender also desires to be the Haims' newest recruit. What's more, we are in plentiful company. Several celebrated supporters have openly coveted the role.
The evidence suggests something is happening. Sisters Este, Danielle and Alana launched their musical journey performing shows at small eateries with their family. Presently, they stand as multi-time Grammy Award hopefuls.
Similar to the best groups, they're a inseparable gang. Their music videos repeatedly show them striding in unison down the roads of Los Angeles. On stage, they jam with such unfettered exuberance you inevitably think, "I want to be a piece of that, too."
"How often on tour that young girls approached us and said, 'Seeing you perform, I picked up a guitar'," states Alana, the most junior of the trio. "That's the ultimate honor. It is a prize in itself. We have succeeded if we can encourage young girls to make music."
"And thus all are welcome to be the honorary part of the family."
Historic Nod
The group have called into home, where they're recovering after an extensive tour in promoting their new album, I Quit.
They're presently celebrating the news it's been shortlisted for Best Rock Album at the Grammys – with Haim the pioneering all-woman band ever in consideration for the trophy.
"I watch the lists every year, so it sort of feels like an out-of-body experience when your name is read out," explains Alana. "I had to call my sisters to say, 'Did I hear this right or am I hallucinating'?"
The weight of the nomination resonates with the trio.
"We deliberately set out to make a rock album this time, so it's a major milestone," continues Alana. "But we're just thankful for the female artists that inspired us."
Heartbreak and Candor
The project was born from a time of emotional upheaval. All three sisters were single, and the music explores that unique transitional period where you're relieved to be free, but not quite ready to start anew.
The lyrics detail endings and goodbyes. The sisters seek love, but not the kind of love they've experienced. You can hear them working out in real life who they are becoming.
"That's a perfect description, yes," says Danielle. "I Quit is kind of like a slogan. You have to make an effort in shutting out the noise and saying, 'I don't give what people think'."
Refinement of Music
That developed toughness required a new sound – more unpolished and direct than any of the music the band had done before.
For Danielle, who worked on producing the album, that began with the percussion.
"Percussion is such a specific thing, and I care so much about it," she states.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the subject of our memoir," jokes Alana. "I've said it, our albums won't commence until we find the ideal drum sound."
Experiences and Shared Camaraderie
The band's candor inspired the album's marketing, where the sisters shared some of their dating horror stories.
Someone broke up with Este over a health concern. Alana shared a story of travelling to spend New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a casual gesture at midnight.
"During these setbacks, you just feel like there's no hope," notes Alana. "Thus to be able to find humor in those stories and have them tell you more outrageous stories, it's so amazing."
A Confident Legacy
It's not difficult sense a shift in the band. Today, Haim are more certain of their standing in the industry.
They're festival headliners, with chart-topping albums and an international following.
But the band will consistently be their top focus.
"Me and my siblings have been making music since I was a young child," shares Alana. "It feels as if no alternative that we were destined for. And I'm really fortunate we've reached this point and we're still kicking."