All Fans Are Invited to Be the Fourth Haim Sister.
"Do you know when you'll be speaking to the band?" an inquiry reads. "I wanted to ask if I can become their newest bandmate."
There is only a key snag: The author likewise wants to be Haim's additional sibling. What's more, we are not alone. Multiple high-profile supporters have openly petitioned for the honor.
The evidence suggests an irresistible appeal is happening. The siblings Este, Danielle and Alana launched their musical journey performing shows at neighborhood delis with their parents. Now they're multi-time Grammy contenders.
Similar to the best groups, they're a tight-knit trio. Their videos repeatedly depict them marching in harmony down the roads of Los Angeles. During performances, they jam with such boundless exuberance you can't help but think, "I want to be part of that, too."
"How often on tour that audience members came up to us and said, 'Watching you live, I picked up a guitar'," states Alana, the most junior of the trio. "That's the ultimate honor. That's an award in itself. We have succeeded if we can motivate people to form a group."
"Therefore anyone gets an invitation to be the next Haim sister."
Award Recognition
The trio are speaking from home, where they're recovering after an lengthy tour in for their fourth album, I Quit.
They're presently celebrating the news it's been nominated for best rock album at the Grammys – with Haim the very first all-female band ever in the running for the prize.
"I follow the lists every year, so it almost feels like an out-of-body experience when your name is read out," notes Alana. "I needed to phone my sisters to say, 'Did we just hear this correctly or am I dreaming'?"
The importance of the honor resonates with the trio.
"We deliberately set out to make a rock album this time, so it's a significant milestone," says Alana. "But we're just appreciative for the female artists that inspired us."
Personal Turmoil and Candor
The project came out of a period of emotional upheaval. All three sisters found themselves single, and the music explores that unique liminal space where you're relieved to be free, but not yet ready to move on.
The themes detail endings and goodbyes. The sisters want love, but not the kind of love they've had. You can hear them figuring out in real time who they are becoming.
"I adore summary, yes," says Danielle. "I Quit is like a slogan. You have to consciously practice shutting out the criticism and saying, 'It doesn't matter to me what people think'."
Evolution of Style
That recent resilience called for a different sonic direction – more unpolished and powerful than any of the music the band had done before.
For Danielle, who worked on producing the album, that began with the drum sound.
"Percussion is such a detailed thing, and I care so much about it," she emphasizes.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the subject of our book," laughs Alana. "I've said it, our albums don't start until we find the perfect drum sound."
Experiences and Collective Humor
The band's candor shaped the album's marketing, where the sisters shared some of their romantic horror stories.
One man broke up with Este over a health concern. Alana shared a story of travelling to celebrate New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a casual gesture at midnight.
"During these heartbreaks, you just feel like there's no light," notes Alana. "So to be able to share those stories and have them tell you even crazier stories, it's incredible."
A Confident Legacy
One can easily sense a change in the band. Today, Haim are more confident of their standing in the music world.
They're major draws, with successful albums and an global audience.
But Haim will always be their primary priority.
"Me and my siblings have been performing since I was four," says Alana. "There is nothing else that we were meant to do. And I'm really fortunate we've gotten here and we're still going strong."