All Fans is Encouraged to Join as the Fourth Haim Sisters Sister.
"When are you interviewing Haim?" a message arrives. "My request was to ask if I can join as their fourth member."
However, there remains one problem: The author likewise desires to be the Haims' newest recruit. Furthermore, we are not alone. Multiple famous fans have publicly begged for the honor.
It's clear an irresistible appeal is going on. Sisters Este, Danielle and Alana launched their musical journey performing shows at local delicatessens with their parents. Presently, they stand as multiple Grammy Award contenders.
In the tradition of the most iconic groups, they're a close trio. Their visuals repeatedly show them walking in unison down the streets of Los Angeles. In concert, they jam with such unfettered joy you find yourself thinking, "I'd love to be involved in that, too."
"The amount of times on tour that audience members told us and said, 'After your show, I bought a drum kit'," remarks Alana, the most junior of the sisters. "That is the ultimate compliment. It is a prize in itself. Our mission is accomplished if we can encourage others to form a group."
"Therefore anyone is invited to be the honorary member of Haim."
Award Nod
The trio have called into home, where they're recovering after an extensive tour in promoting their fourth album, I Quit.
They're presently processing the news it's been nominated for Best Rock Album at the Grammy Awards – with Haim the very first all-female band ever in contention for the trophy.
"I watch the nominations every year, so it almost feels like an out-of-body experience when your name is announced," notes Alana. "I immediately called my sisters to say, 'Am I hearing this correctly or am I hallucinating'?"
The importance of the honor is deeply felt by the sisters.
"We deliberately set out to make a guitar-driven album this time, so it's a significant milestone," says Alana. "Yet we're just grateful for the female artists that inspired us."
Emotional Upheaval and Humour
The album came out of a phase of emotional upheaval. All three sisters found themselves single, and the music captures that odd transitional period where you're happy to be free, but not yet ready to let go.
The lyrics follow endings and farewells. The sisters want love, but not the specific love they've had. You can hear them figuring out in real time who they aspire to be.
"That's a perfect summary, yes," responds Danielle. "I Quit is kind of like a personal statement. You have to actively work on blocking the criticism and saying, 'I couldn't care less what people think'."
Development of Style
That developed confidence called for a new sound – more organic and immediate than any of the music the band had done before.
For Danielle, who worked on producing the album, that was founded on the percussion.
"Drums are such a specific thing, and I am so passionate about it," she states.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the subject of our memoir," jokes Alana. "I've said it, our albums won't commence until we find the perfect drum sound."
Stories and Collective Laughter
The trio's candor shaped the album's promotional campaign, where the sisters revealed some of their dating tales.
One man broke up with Este over a health consideration. Alana told a story of flying to spend New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a friendly slap at midnight.
"Experiencing these setbacks, you just feel like there's only darkness," notes Alana. "So to be able to find humor in those stories and have them tell you more outrageous stories, it's incredible."
A Secure Path
It's not difficult sense a shift in the band. These days, Haim are more confident of their standing in the music world.
They're festival headliners, with hit albums and an international following.
But Haim will forever be their number one focus.
"We have been performing since I was four," says Alana. "There is nothing else that we were meant to do. And I'm really thankful we've gotten here and we're still kicking."