All Fans is Encouraged to Be the Additional Haim Sisters Member.
"When are you chatting with the Haim sisters?" a message pops up. "I was hoping to ask if I can be their fourth member."
There is only a single issue: The sender also wants to be Haim's newest recruit. What's more, we are far from alone. A host of high-profile supporters have publicly coveted the role.
One thing is obvious an irresistible appeal is going on. The siblings Este, Danielle and Alana started their career performing shows at neighborhood delis with their parents. Presently, they stand as multi-time Grammy Award nominees.
In the tradition of the best ensembles, they're a inseparable gang. Their visuals often feature them walking in harmony down the roads of Los Angeles. On stage, they jam with such boundless joy you find yourself thinking, "I want to be part of that, too."
"How often on tour that young girls approached us and said, 'Seeing you perform, I got a bass'," says Alana, the most junior of the Haim siblings. "It is the biggest compliment. That is recognition in itself. We've done our job if we can inspire young girls to form a group."
"And thus anyone are welcome to be the honorary part of the family."
Historic Milestone
The band have called into a break, where they're taking a pause after an major tour in support of their fourth album, I Quit.
They're presently processing the news it's been in the running for best rock album at the Grammy Awards – with Haim the pioneering female band ever in consideration for the prize.
"I tune into the announcements every year, so it almost feels like a surreal movie when your name is called," explains Alana. "I immediately called my sisters to say, 'Did I hear this correctly or am I imagining things'?"
The weight of the accolade is deeply felt by the trio.
"We deliberately set out to make a rock record this time, so it's a huge step," adds Alana. "But we're just appreciative for the pioneers that came before us."
Emotional Upheaval and Candor
The project emerged from a period of transition. All three sisters were single, and the music explores that unique liminal space where you're glad to be free, but not yet ready to let go.
The lyrics follow endings and goodbyes. The sisters want love, but not the specific love they've had. You can hear them working out in real life who they want to be.
"I love summary, yes," says Danielle. "I Quit is essentially a slogan. You have to make an effort in shutting out the criticism and saying, 'I couldn't care less what people think'."
Evolution of Sound
That developed resilience demanded a fresh approach – more organic and direct than any of the music the band had done before.
For Danielle, who co-produced the album, that started with the percussion.
"Drums are such a detailed thing, and I focus so intensely about it," she states.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the title of our memoir," jokes Alana. "Our motto is, our albums cannot begin until we find the ideal drum sound."
Anecdotes and Shared Camaraderie
The band's honesty fueled the album's promotional campaign, 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.
"When you're going through these breakups, you just feel like there's no hope," explains Alana. "Thus to be able to laugh at those stories and have them tell you more outrageous stories, it's incredible."
A Confident Path
You can clearly sense a change in the band. Now, Haim are more confident of their position in the music world.
They're top-billed acts, with successful albums and an international following.
However the sister act will always be their primary priority.
"We have been performing since I was a young child," shares Alana. "There is no alternative that we were destined for. And I'm really thankful we've made it and we're still kicking."