Everyone is Encouraged to Be the Additional Haim Member.
"Any idea when you're interviewing the band?" a message pops up. "I was hoping to ask if I can join as their fourth member."
There is only a single issue: I also desires to be the Haims' newest recruit. And we're far from alone. A host of celebrated supporters have openly petitioned for the role.
It's clear an irresistible appeal is happening. Sisters Este, Danielle and Alana started their career performing shows at small eateries with their family. Today, they are multiple Grammy contenders.
Like all the greatest ensembles, they're a inseparable unit. Their videos often feature them marching in sync down the streets of Los Angeles. In concert, they perform with such unfettered exuberance you find yourself thinking, "I wish to be a piece of that, too."
"How often on tour that fans told us and said, 'Seeing you perform, I picked up a bass'," states Alana, the most junior of the sisters. "That is the greatest compliment. That is recognition in itself. We've done our job if we can encourage others to make music."
"So all is invited to be the fourth member of Haim."
Historic Nod
The band are connecting from their homes, where they're resting up after an lengthy tour in for their fourth album, I Quit.
They're currently 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 award.
"I follow the announcements every year, so it sort of feels like an out-of-body experience when your name is read out," says Alana. "I had to call my sisters to say, 'Did I hear this right or am I dreaming'?"
The importance of the accolade is deeply felt by the trio.
"We deliberately set out to make a guitar-driven album this time, so it's a major step," says Alana. "However we're just grateful for the pioneers that came before us."
Heartbreak and Candor
The album came out of a time of transition. All three sisters found themselves single, and the music explores that odd liminal space where you're happy to be free, but not quite ready to move on.
The lyrics detail endings and goodbyes. The sisters want love, but not the specific love they've got. You can hear them working out in real time who they are becoming.
"I love description, yes," says Danielle. "I Quit is like a mantra. You have to consciously practice blocking the criticism and saying, 'I couldn't care less what people think'."
Refinement of Style
That newfound confidence required a fresh approach – more raw and immediate than any of the music the band had done before.
For Danielle, who worked on producing the album, that began with the percussion.
"Drums are such a detailed thing, and I care so much about it," she emphasizes.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the title of our book," jokes Alana. "I've said it, our albums don't start until we find the ideal drum sound."
Anecdotes and Shared Camaraderie
The band's openness inspired the album's promotional campaign, where the sisters shared some of their romantic misadventures.
A former partner left Este over a medical consideration. Alana shared a story of flying to celebrate New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a casual gesture at midnight.
"During these setbacks, you just feel like there's only darkness," explains Alana. "So to be able to share those stories and hear others tell you even crazier stories, it's therapeutic."
An Assured Future
One can easily sense a evolution in the band. These days, Haim are more certain of their standing in the industry.
They're top-billed acts, with chart-topping albums and an worldwide following.
But the sister act will always be their number one priority.
"My sisters and I have been performing since I was little," shares Alana. "There is nothing else that we were destined for. And I'm really fortunate we've gotten here and we're still kicking."