All Fans Are Encouraged to Become the Additional Haim Sisters Sister.
"Do you know when you'll be speaking to the band?" a message reads. "I wanted to ask if I can become their extra sister."
There's just a key snag: I also longs to be the Haims' additional sibling. Furthermore, we are in plentiful company. A host of famous supporters have publicly begged for the honor.
The evidence suggests an irresistible appeal is going on. Sisters Este, Danielle and Alana began their career doing sets at neighborhood delis with their parents. Now they're repeated Grammy Award contenders.
Similar to the best groups, they're a tight-knit trio. Their visuals often show them walking in unison down the avenues of Los Angeles. In concert, they play with such pure exuberance you can't help but think, "I wish to be part of that, too."
"The numerous instances on tour that fans came up to us and said, 'Watching you live, I bought a guitar'," says Alana, the youngest of the Haim siblings. "That is the ultimate honour. That's an award in itself. Our mission is accomplished if we can encourage others to form a group."
"Therefore all are welcome to be the next member of Haim."
Grammy Recognition
The band are speaking from their homes, where they're resting up after an extensive tour in for their new album, I Quit.
They're right now reeling from the news it's been shortlisted for Best Rock Album at the Grammy Awards – with Haim the very first all-woman band ever in contention for the prize.
"I follow the lists every year, so it kind of feels like The Truman Show when your name is called," notes Alana. "I had to call my sisters to say, 'Did we just hear this correctly or am I hallucinating'?"
The significance of the accolade isn't lost on the band.
"We truly set out to make a rock record this time, so it's a significant step," adds Alana. "Yet we're just appreciative for the pioneers that inspired us."
Heartbreak and Laughter
The album was born from a phase of transition. All three sisters were single, and the music explores that strange transitional period where you're relieved to be free, but not yet ready to let go.
The themes follow endings and goodbyes. The sisters want love, but not the specific love they've had. You can hear them figuring out in real life who they want to be.
"I love way of putting it, yes," agrees Danielle. "I Quit is like a slogan. You have to consciously practice ignoring the noise and saying, 'I don't give what people think'."
Development of Music
That developed resilience required a different sonic direction – more unpolished and direct than anything the band had done before.
For Danielle, who co-produced the album, that began with the percussion.
"Drums are such a nuanced thing, and I focus so intensely about it," she states.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the subject of our memoir," quips Alana. "I always say, our albums cannot begin until we find the perfect drum sound."
Stories and Shared Humor
The trio's openness fueled the album's marketing, where the sisters shared some of their personal misadventures.
A former partner ended things with Este over a medical concern. Alana recalled a story of travelling to spend New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a casual gesture at midnight.
"Experiencing these heartbreaks, you just feel like there's only darkness," explains Alana. "Therefore to be able to laugh at those stories and have them tell you even crazier stories, it's therapeutic."
A Confident Legacy
One can easily sense a shift in the band. These days, Haim are more confident of their standing in the music world.
They're festival headliners, with successful albums and an international following.
But Haim will consistently be their primary priority.
"We have been making music since I was little," shares Alana. "It's like no other path that we were meant to do. And I'm really fortunate we've reached this point and we're still making music."
