Everyone is Invited to Become the Additional Haim Sisters Sister.
"Any idea when you're chatting with the band?" a text arrives. "I was hoping to ask if I can join as their extra sister."
There is only a key snag: The author likewise desires to be the Haims' fourth member. Furthermore, we are not alone. Multiple famous admirers have publicly coveted the position.
It's clear a special quality is happening. The siblings Este, Danielle and Alana launched their path doing sets at neighborhood delis with their parents. Today, they are repeated Grammy Award contenders.
Like all the best ensembles, they're a inseparable unit. Their videos repeatedly show them striding in unison down the avenues of Los Angeles. In concert, they perform with such pure exuberance you can't help but think, "I'd love to be involved in that, too."
"How often on tour that audience members came up to us and said, 'After your show, I got a bass'," says Alana, the youngest of the trio. "That's the ultimate honour. That is recognition in itself. We've done our job if we can inspire others to make music."
"So everyone gets an invitation to be the next Haim sister."
Grammy Nod
The band are connecting from a break, where they're resting up after an major tour in for their new album, I Quit.
They're presently reeling from the news it's been in the running for best rock album at the Grammys – with Haim the first all-female band ever in contention for the award.
"I follow the announcements every year, so it sort of feels like an out-of-body experience when your name is read out," explains Alana. "I immediately called my sisters to say, 'Did we just hear this right or am I hallucinating'?"
The significance of the honor resonates with the sisters.
"We really set out to make a rock album this time, so it's a significant step," continues Alana. "Yet we're just grateful for the female artists that came before us."
Personal Turmoil and Humour
The album emerged from a phase 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 quite ready to start anew.
The lyrics follow departures and partings. The sisters seek love, but not the specific love they've had. You can hear them determining in the moment who they want to be.
"I adore description, yes," responds Danielle. "I Quit is kind of like a mantra. You have to make an effort in blocking the noise and saying, 'I don't give what people think'."
Evolution of Style
That developed confidence demanded a fresh approach – more unpolished and immediate than anything the band had done before.
For Danielle, who helped produce the album, that began with the drums.
"Percussion is such a specific thing, and I care so much about it," she states.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the name of our book," quips Alana. "I always say, our albums don't start until we find the ideal drum sound."
Experiences and Shared Laughter
The band's openness fueled the album's rollout, where the sisters revealed some of their romantic misadventures.
One man ended things with Este over a medical consideration. Alana told a story of travelling 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 light," says Alana. "Therefore to be able to laugh at those stories and hear others tell you more outrageous stories, it's so amazing."
An Assured Path
You can clearly sense a shift in the band. These days, Haim are more certain of their standing in the music world.
They're major draws, with successful albums and an worldwide audience.
But Haim will forever be their top commitment.
"We have been performing since I was little," says Alana. "It feels as if nothing else that we were destined for. And I'm really thankful we've made it and we're still going strong."