Everyone is Welcome to Become the Fourth Haim Bandmate.
"Do you know when you'll be interviewing the band?" a text arrives. "My request was to ask if I can join as their fourth member."
There's just a key snag: I also desires to be the Haims' fourth member. And we're not alone. A host of high-profile admirers have publicly petitioned for the honor.
It's clear a special quality is at play. Sisters Este, Danielle and Alana launched their musical journey doing sets at local delicatessens with their parents. Today, they are multiple Grammy Award contenders.
Similar to the best bands, they're a close gang. Their visuals frequently show them striding in unison down the streets of Los Angeles. In concert, they perform with such unfettered exuberance you can't help but think, "I'd love to be a piece of that, too."
"The numerous instances on tour that audience members approached us and said, 'After your show, I picked up a drum kit'," says Alana, the youngest of the Haim siblings. "That is the biggest honor. It is a prize in itself. We've done our job if we can motivate people to form a group."
"And thus anyone is invited to be the next Haim sister."
Award Recognition
The band are connecting from a break, where they're resting up after an major tour in promoting their latest album, I Quit.
They're presently processing the news it's been nominated for Best Rock Album at the Grammy Awards – with Haim the first all-woman band ever in consideration for the award.
"I tune into the lists every year, so it sort of feels like an out-of-body experience when your name is announced," notes Alana. "I had to call my sisters to say, 'Did we just hear this correctly or am I dreaming'?"
The weight of the accolade isn't lost on the trio.
"We truly set out to make a guitar-driven album this time, so it's a significant milestone," says Alana. "However we're just grateful for the female artists that paved the way."
Emotional Upheaval and Laughter
The project emerged from a phase of emotional upheaval. All three sisters ended up single, and the music explores that unique in-between place where you're glad to be free, but not yet ready to let go.
The lyrics follow departures and farewells. The sisters want love, but not the relationships they've got. You can hear them figuring out in real life who they want to be.
"I adore summary, yes," agrees Danielle. "I Quit is like a slogan. You have to make an effort in ignoring the noise and saying, 'I couldn't care less what people think'."
Refinement of Music
That developed resilience required a different sonic direction – more raw 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 specific thing, and I focus so intensely about it," she says.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the subject of our memoir," jokes Alana. "I always say, our albums don't start until we find the ideal drum sound."
Anecdotes and Shared Humor
The trio's candor fueled the album's promotional campaign, where the sisters shared some of their romantic misadventures.
One man ended things with Este over a medical concern. Alana shared a story of flying to celebrate New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a friendly slap at midnight.
"Experiencing these setbacks, you just feel like there's no light," notes Alana. "Therefore to be able to laugh at those stories and hear others tell you wilder stories, it's therapeutic."
A Confident Path
One can easily sense a shift in the band. These days, Haim are more assured of their position in the industry.
They're major draws, with successful albums and an worldwide audience.
But Haim will consistently be their primary commitment.
"Me and my siblings have been performing since I was four," shares Alana. "It feels as if nothing else that we were destined for. And I'm really grateful we've made it and we're still going strong."