The World Are Invited to Join as the Extra Haim Bandmate.
"When are you speaking to the Haim sisters?" a message arrives. "My request was to ask if I can become their fourth member."
There is only one problem: The author likewise wants to be the Haims' additional sibling. Furthermore, we are far from alone. Several famous fans have also petitioned for the role.
It's clear a special quality is at play. The siblings Este, Danielle and Alana started their career performing shows at local delicatessens with their family. Now they're multi-time Grammy Award hopefuls.
Like all the greatest groups, they're a close trio. Their videos often show them marching in sync down the roads of Los Angeles. On stage, they jam with such unfettered happiness you inevitably think, "I'd love to be part of that, too."
"How often on tour that young girls approached us and said, 'Seeing you perform, I bought a bass'," remarks Alana, the youngest of the sisters. "That is the biggest compliment. That is recognition in itself. We have succeeded if we can motivate people to start a band."
"Therefore all gets an invitation to be the honorary Haim sister."
Grammy Nod
The band are connecting from their homes, where they're resting up after an extensive tour in support of their latest album, I Quit.
They're right now celebrating the news it's been nominated for a top rock honor at the Grammys – with Haim the very first all-woman band ever in the running for the award.
"I tune into the nominations every year, so it kind of feels like an out-of-body experience when your name is called," notes Alana. "I immediately called my sisters to say, 'Did we just hear this correctly or am I hallucinating'?"
The weight of the honor isn't lost on the sisters.
"We truly set out to make a rock album this time, so it's a huge milestone," continues Alana. "However we're just thankful for the women that paved the way."
Personal Turmoil and Laughter
The project emerged from a time of transition. All three sisters found themselves single, and the music captures that strange transitional period where you're happy to be free, but not quite ready to move on.
The words follow breakups and farewells. The sisters seek love, but not the kind of love they've got. You can hear them working out in real time who they aspire to be.
"I adore description, yes," responds Danielle. "I Quit is like a personal statement. You have to consciously practice ignoring the criticism and saying, 'It doesn't matter to me what people think'."
Development of Style
That developed toughness required a fresh approach – more unpolished and powerful than anything the band had done before.
For Danielle, who co-produced the album, that started with the drum sound.
"Percussion is such a specific thing, and I am so passionate about it," she says.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the title of our book," laughs Alana. "I've said it, our albums don't start 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 romantic tales.
Someone left Este over a medical consideration. Alana told a story of flying to spend New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a high five at midnight.
"When you're going through these breakups, you just feel like there's no light," says Alana. "Thus to be able to find humor in those stories and have them tell you more outrageous stories, it's so amazing."
A Secure Legacy
One can easily sense a shift in the band. Now, Haim are more assured of their standing in the industry.
They're festival headliners, with hit albums and an global fan base.
However the band will consistently be their number one commitment.
"We have been making music since I was little," says Alana. "There is nothing else that we were supposed to do. And I'm really thankful we've made it and we're still kicking."