Everyone is Encouraged to Join as the Additional Haim Sisters Member.
"Any idea when you're chatting with Haim?" an inquiry reads. "I wanted to ask if I can become their fourth member."
However, there remains one problem: The sender also wants to be the Haims' additional sibling. What's more, we are in plentiful company. Several celebrated fans have openly coveted the role.
One thing is obvious an irresistible appeal is at play. The siblings Este, Danielle and Alana started their path performing shows at local delicatessens with their family. Presently, they stand as multi-time Grammy hopefuls.
In the tradition of the greatest groups, they're a tight-knit trio. Their visuals often feature them striding in harmony down the streets of Los Angeles. On stage, they jam with such boundless joy you inevitably think, "I want to be involved in that, too."
"The numerous instances on tour that fans approached us and said, 'Watching you live, I bought a bass'," remarks Alana, the most junior of the trio. "That is the biggest honor. It is a prize in itself. Our mission is accomplished if we can encourage young girls to start a band."
"So anyone gets an invitation to be the next part of the family."
Grammy Recognition
The trio are connecting from a break, where they're recovering after an lengthy tour in promoting their new album, I Quit.
They're presently reeling from the news it's been shortlisted for Best Rock Album at the Grammys – with Haim the first female band ever in consideration for the award.
"I watch the nominations every year, so it sort of feels like an out-of-body experience when your name is announced," says Alana. "I had to call my sisters to say, 'Am I hearing this correctly or am I dreaming'?"
The significance of the honor isn't lost on the band.
"We truly set out to make a guitar-driven album this time, so it's a significant step," adds Alana. "But we're just appreciative for the pioneers that came before us."
Emotional Upheaval and Candor
The project came out of a period of personal change. All three sisters ended up single, and the music explores that strange liminal space where you're relieved to be free, but not yet ready to start anew.
The words detail breakups and farewells. The sisters desire love, but not the relationships they've had. You can hear them determining in real time who they aspire to be.
"I adore way of putting it, yes," says Danielle. "I Quit is like a mantra. You have to make an effort in ignoring the noise and saying, 'I couldn't care less what people think'."
Refinement of Sound
That newfound confidence demanded a fresh approach – more raw and immediate than any of the music the band had done before.
For Danielle, who co-produced the album, that began with the drums.
"The drum sound is such a specific thing, and I care so much about it," she emphasizes.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the title of our book," laughs Alana. "I always say, our albums don't start until we find the ideal drum sound."
Experiences and Collective Camaraderie
The trio's candor fueled the album's rollout, where the sisters disclosed some of their dating misadventures.
Someone left Este over a medical consideration. Alana recalled a story of flying to spend New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a friendly slap at midnight.
"During these breakups, you just feel like there's only darkness," notes Alana. "So to be able to laugh at those stories and hear others tell you wilder stories, it's incredible."
An Assured Path
You can clearly sense a change in the band. Now, Haim are more confident of their standing in the music world.
They're festival headliners, with chart-topping albums and an international fan base.
However the band will forever be their top focus.
"We have been making music 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."