The World is Welcome to Join as the Additional Haim Bandmate.
"Do you know when you'll be speaking to the band?" an inquiry arrives. "I was hoping to ask if I can become their extra sister."
There is only a key snag: The author likewise desires to be Haim's fourth member. And we're in plentiful company. Several high-profile fans have openly begged for the honor.
The evidence suggests an irresistible appeal is happening. The siblings Este, Danielle and Alana started their musical journey doing sets at small eateries with their parents. Now they're multiple Grammy Award hopefuls.
Similar to the most iconic ensembles, they're a close unit. Their videos repeatedly feature them walking in unison down the avenues of Los Angeles. During performances, they play with such unfettered joy you find yourself thinking, "I wish to be involved in that, too."
"How often on tour that young girls came up to us and said, 'Seeing you perform, I picked up a bass'," says Alana, the most junior of the sisters. "That's the ultimate honour. That is recognition in itself. We've done our job if we can encourage people to form a group."
"Therefore everyone is invited to be the fourth member of Haim."
Award Milestone
The band are speaking from a break, where they're recovering after an major tour in promoting their fourth album, I Quit.
They're presently processing the news it's been shortlisted for Best Rock Album at the Grammys – with Haim the first all-female band ever in the running for the award.
"I follow the nominations every year, so it kind of feels like a surreal movie when your name is read out," explains Alana. "I had to call my sisters to say, 'Am I hearing this correctly or am I dreaming'?"
The significance of the nomination is deeply felt by the trio.
"We deliberately set out to make a rock record this time, so it's a major step," adds Alana. "Yet we're just appreciative for the female artists that came before us."
Personal Turmoil and Candor
The record was born from a period of emotional upheaval. All three sisters found themselves single, and the music captures that odd transitional period where you're happy to be free, but not quite ready to move on.
The lyrics detail breakups and partings. The sisters seek love, but not the relationships they've got. You can hear them determining in the moment who they want to be.
"I love summary, yes," agrees Danielle. "I Quit is kind of like a personal statement. You have to make an effort in shutting out the noise and saying, 'I couldn't care less what people think'."
Development of Style
That developed toughness required a new sound – more raw and direct than any of the music the band had done before.
For Danielle, who co-produced the album, that began with the drum sound.
"Percussion is such a specific thing, and I care so much 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 right drum sound."
Experiences and Collective Camaraderie
The band's openness shaped the album's promotional campaign, where the sisters shared some of their romantic horror stories.
A former partner left Este over a medical consideration. Alana recalled a story of flying to celebrate 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," notes Alana. "Therefore to be able to find humor in those stories and have them tell you even crazier stories, it's therapeutic."
An Assured Path
One can easily sense a evolution in the band. These days, Haim are more confident of their standing in the rock pantheon.
They're festival headliners, with hit albums and an international fan base.
But Haim will forever be their top focus.
"My sisters and I have been playing music since I was a young child," concludes Alana. "There is no alternative that we were destined for. And I'm really thankful we've gotten here and we're still going strong."
