All Fans is Invited to Join as the Fourth Haim Bandmate.
"Do you know when you'll be chatting with the Haim sisters?" a message pops up. "I wanted to ask if I can become their newest bandmate."
There's just a key snag: The sender also desires to be the Haims' newest recruit. Furthermore, we are in plentiful company. Multiple celebrated fans have also petitioned for the role.
One thing is obvious a special quality is happening. Sisters Este, Danielle and Alana began their career playing gigs at local delicatessens with their family. Now they're multi-time Grammy hopefuls.
Similar to the most iconic ensembles, they're a close trio. Their visuals often show them marching in harmony down the avenues of Los Angeles. During performances, they jam with such pure joy you inevitably think, "I'd love to be part of that, too."
"The amount of times on tour that young girls approached us and said, 'Watching you live, I bought a bass'," states Alana, the youngest of the Haim siblings. "That's the biggest honour. That is recognition in itself. We have succeeded if we can motivate others to make music."
"So everyone gets an invitation to be the honorary Haim sister."
Award Nod
The band are speaking from their homes, where they're taking a pause after an extensive tour in for their latest album, I Quit.
They're right now processing the news it's been shortlisted for Best Rock Album at the Grammy Awards – with Haim the first female band ever in contention for the prize.
"I follow the nominations every year, so it kind of feels like a surreal movie when your name is read out," notes Alana. "I immediately called my sisters to say, 'Am I hearing this right or am I imagining things'?"
The weight of the nomination isn't lost on the band.
"We really set out to make a guitar-driven album this time, so it's a huge achievement," says Alana. "Yet we're just thankful for the women that inspired us."
Emotional Upheaval and Candor
The record was born from a period of personal change. All three sisters ended up single, and the music captures that unique in-between place where you're happy to be free, but not quite ready to move on.
The themes follow departures and farewells. The sisters desire love, but not the specific love they've had. You can hear them figuring out in the moment who they want to be.
"I love way of putting it, yes," says Danielle. "I Quit is like a personal statement. You have to make an effort in shutting out the criticism and saying, 'I couldn't care less what people think'."
Evolution of Style
That recent confidence demanded a different sonic direction – more organic and immediate than any of the music the band had done before.
For Danielle, who co-produced the album, that started with the drum sound.
"The drum sound is such a specific thing, and I care so much about it," she states.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the title of our book," quips Alana. "Our motto is, our albums won't commence until we find the ideal drum sound."
Anecdotes and Collective Laughter
The band's honesty shaped the album's promotional campaign, where the sisters revealed some of their romantic tales.
Someone broke up with Este over a health consideration. Alana told a story of travelling to celebrate New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a casual gesture at midnight.
"Experiencing these breakups, you just feel like there's no hope," notes Alana. "So to be able to share those stories and have them tell you even crazier stories, it's incredible."
A Confident Path
One can easily sense a evolution in the band. Today, Haim are more certain of their position in the music world.
They're festival headliners, with hit albums and an worldwide following.
Yet Haim will consistently be their primary commitment.
"My sisters and I have been playing music since I was a young child," concludes Alana. "There is no alternative that we were supposed to do. And I'm really thankful we've made it and we're still going strong."