Everyone Are Invited to Be the Fourth Haim Sisters Sister.
"Do you know when you'll be chatting with Haim?" an inquiry arrives. "I was hoping to ask if I can join as their fourth member."
There is only a key snag: The author likewise longs to be the Haims' additional sibling. And we're not alone. A host of high-profile supporters have publicly begged for the role.
One thing is obvious an irresistible appeal is going on. Sisters Este, Danielle and Alana launched their path doing sets at small eateries with their parents. Now they're repeated Grammy Award nominees.
Similar to the best groups, they're a tight-knit gang. Their music videos repeatedly feature them walking in unison down the streets of Los Angeles. In concert, they perform with such unfettered happiness you find yourself thinking, "I'd love to be a piece of that, too."
"How often on tour that fans approached us and said, 'After your show, I got a drum kit'," says Alana, the youngest of the Haim siblings. "That's the ultimate honor. That's an award in itself. Our mission is accomplished if we can encourage others to start a band."
"So anyone are welcome to be the fourth part of the family."
Grammy Milestone
The group are connecting from home, where they're resting up after an extensive tour in for their new album, I Quit.
They're presently 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 consideration for the prize.
"I follow the announcements every year, so it kind of feels like a surreal movie when your name is read out," notes Alana. "I had to call my sisters to say, 'Am I hearing this correctly or am I imagining things'?"
The weight of the nomination resonates with the band.
"We really set out to make a guitar-driven album this time, so it's a significant step," continues Alana. "Yet we're just thankful for the women that came before us."
Heartbreak and Laughter
The record was born from a phase of transition. All three sisters were single, and the music inhabits that strange liminal space where you're relieved to be free, but not entirely ready to move on.
The lyrics track departures and partings. The sisters seek love, but not the kind of love they've had. You can hear them figuring out in real time who they want to be.
"I love way of putting it, yes," agrees Danielle. "I Quit is essentially a slogan. You have to actively work on shutting out the noise and saying, 'I couldn't care less what people think'."
Development of Sound
That developed toughness called for a new sound – more organic and immediate than anything the band had done before.
For Danielle, who worked on producing the album, that was founded on the drum sound.
"Percussion is such a nuanced thing, and I care so much about it," she emphasizes.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the subject of our memoir," quips Alana. "I always say, our albums don't start until we find the ideal drum sound."
Stories and Collective Camaraderie
The band's openness inspired the album's marketing, where the sisters revealed some of their personal tales.
One man left Este over a health concern. Alana told a story of flying to spend New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a friendly slap at midnight.
"When you're going through these breakups, you just feel like there's only darkness," notes Alana. "Therefore to be able to laugh at those stories and hear others tell you even crazier stories, it's therapeutic."
A Secure Path
One can easily sense a shift in the band. Now, Haim are more confident of their place in the music world.
They're festival headliners, with successful albums and an worldwide following.
However the band will consistently be their number one focus.
"My sisters and I have been making music since I was little," shares Alana. "It feels as if no other path that we were supposed to do. And I'm really grateful we've gotten here and we're still kicking."
