The World Are Invited to Join as the Fourth Haim Sisters Bandmate.
"Do you know when you'll be chatting with Haim?" an inquiry arrives. "My request was to ask if I can become their extra sister."
There's just a key snag: I also longs to be Haim's newest recruit. What's more, we are far from alone. Several famous admirers have openly coveted the role.
The evidence suggests an irresistible appeal is happening. The siblings Este, Danielle and Alana started their career doing sets at local delicatessens with their parents. Now they're multi-time Grammy hopefuls.
In the tradition of the greatest bands, they're a close trio. Their music videos frequently feature them striding in unison down the streets of Los Angeles. On stage, they play with such unfettered exuberance you find yourself thinking, "I'd love to be a piece of that, too."
"The amount of times on tour that fans told us and said, 'After your show, I got a drum kit'," says Alana, the youngest of the sisters. "It is the biggest honor. It is a prize in itself. Our mission is accomplished if we can motivate people to start a band."
"And thus anyone gets an invitation to be the honorary Haim sister."
Award Recognition
The band have called into their homes, where they're recovering after an extensive tour in for 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 – with Haim the first all-female band ever in consideration for the award.
"I watch the lists every year, so it almost feels like an out-of-body experience when your name is announced," notes 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 really set out to make a rock album this time, so it's a significant milestone," adds Alana. "Yet we're just grateful for the female artists that paved the way."
Heartbreak and Humour
The project was born from a time of personal change. All three sisters ended up single, and the music explores that odd transitional period where you're happy to be free, but not yet ready to move on.
The lyrics detail breakups and partings. The sisters want love, but not the kind of love they've experienced. You can hear them determining in the moment who they aspire to be.
"I adore description, yes," responds Danielle. "I Quit is essentially a slogan. You have to consciously practice ignoring the criticism and saying, 'I don't give what people think'."
Development of Sound
That newfound resilience called for a fresh approach – more organic and direct than anything the band had done before.
For Danielle, who helped produce the album, that started with the percussion.
"Percussion is such a detailed thing, and I focus so intensely about it," she emphasizes.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the title of our biography," laughs Alana. "Our motto is, our albums cannot begin until we find the perfect drum sound."
Anecdotes and Shared Humor
The band's openness inspired the album's promotional campaign, where the sisters shared some of their dating tales.
Someone broke up 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.
"Experiencing these setbacks, you just feel like there's no hope," says Alana. "Therefore to be able to share those stories and hear others tell you wilder stories, it's so amazing."
An Assured Future
It's not difficult sense a evolution in the band. Now, Haim are more assured of their position in the industry.
They're major draws, with successful albums and an international fan base.
Yet Haim will consistently be their primary priority.
"Me and my siblings have been playing music since I was little," shares Alana. "It feels as if no alternative that we were meant to do. And I'm really thankful we've made it and we're still going strong."