Everyone is Invited to Join as the Extra Haim Sisters Bandmate.
"Any idea when you're interviewing the Haim sisters?" an inquiry pops up. "I was hoping to ask if I can be their newest bandmate."
However, there remains one problem: The sender also longs to be the Haims' additional sibling. And we're far from alone. Multiple famous admirers have openly begged for the honor.
One thing is obvious something is at play. Sisters Este, Danielle and Alana began their path doing sets at small eateries with their parents. Now they're multiple Grammy contenders.
Similar to the greatest ensembles, they're a inseparable unit. Their music videos often feature them striding in unison down the avenues of Los Angeles. In concert, they jam with such boundless exuberance you can't help but think, "I'd love to be a piece of that, too."
"How often on tour that young girls told us and said, 'Seeing you perform, I picked up a guitar'," remarks Alana, the most junior of the sisters. "It is the biggest honor. It is a prize in itself. We've done our job if we can inspire others to make music."
"And thus anyone gets an invitation to be the honorary part of the family."
Award Recognition
The trio are speaking from a break, where they're resting up after an major tour in for their latest album, I Quit.
They're right now celebrating the news it's been nominated for best rock album at the Grammys – with Haim the first all-female band ever in consideration for the award.
"I watch the announcements every year, so it almost feels like a surreal movie when your name is called," explains Alana. "I had to call my sisters to say, 'Am I hearing this correctly or am I imagining things'?"
The importance of the nomination is deeply felt by the band.
"We really set out to make a rock album this time, so it's a huge step," says Alana. "Yet we're just grateful for the female artists that came before us."
Heartbreak and Humour
The album was born from a period of emotional upheaval. All three sisters ended up single, and the music inhabits that unique liminal space where you're relieved to be free, but not entirely ready to start anew.
The words detail endings and farewells. The sisters seek love, but not the specific love they've had. You can hear them determining in real time who they are becoming.
"I love summary, yes," says Danielle. "I Quit is essentially a slogan. You have to consciously practice shutting out the criticism and saying, 'It doesn't matter to me what people think'."
Development of Music
That recent toughness demanded a fresh approach – more organic and direct than anything the band had done before.
For Danielle, who worked on producing the album, that started with the drum sound.
"Drums are such a nuanced thing, and I care so much about it," she states.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the name of our memoir," quips Alana. "I always say, our albums cannot begin until we find the right drum sound."
Experiences and Shared Humor
The trio's honesty inspired the album's promotional campaign, where the sisters shared some of their personal misadventures.
Someone broke up with Este over a medical consideration. Alana recalled a story of travelling to spend New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a high five at midnight.
"When you're going through these setbacks, you just feel like there's no light," notes Alana. "Thus to be able to find humor in 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. Today, Haim are more assured of their position in the music world.
They're major draws, with chart-topping albums and an global fan base.
However Haim will always be their primary priority.
"We have been making music since I was four," concludes Alana. "It feels as if no alternative that we were supposed to do. And I'm really thankful we've made it and we're still going strong."