Everyone is Welcome to Become the Fourth Haim Sisters Sister.
"Do you know when you'll be speaking to Haim?" an inquiry pops up. "I was hoping to ask if I can join as their fourth member."
There is only a key snag: The sender also desires to be Haim's additional sibling. And we're in plentiful company. Several famous admirers have also coveted the position.
One thing is obvious something is going on. The siblings Este, Danielle and Alana began their career doing sets at neighborhood delis with their parents. Presently, they stand as multiple Grammy contenders.
In the tradition of the best groups, they're a tight-knit gang. Their music videos repeatedly show them striding in harmony down the avenues of Los Angeles. During performances, they jam with such pure joy you inevitably think, "I'd love to be a piece of that, too."
"The numerous instances on tour that audience members came up to us and said, 'Watching you live, I picked up a drum kit'," says Alana, the youngest of the sisters. "It is the ultimate honour. It is a prize in itself. Our mission is accomplished if we can encourage others to make music."
"And thus all gets an invitation to be the honorary part of the family."
Historic Recognition
The band are connecting from home, where they're resting up after an extensive tour in support of their fourth album, I Quit.
They're currently reeling from the news it's been in the running for a top rock honor at the Grammys – with Haim the first all-woman band ever in contention for the prize.
"I watch the announcements every year, so it almost feels like The Truman Show 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 importance of the nomination isn't lost on the sisters.
"We truly set out to make a rock record this time, so it's a significant achievement," adds Alana. "However we're just appreciative for the women that came before us."
Emotional Upheaval and Candor
The record was born from a time of transition. All three sisters found themselves single, and the music captures that odd in-between place where you're relieved to be free, but not yet ready to let go.
The lyrics track departures and farewells. The sisters desire love, but not the kind of love they've experienced. You can hear them working out in real life who they want to be.
"I love way of putting it, yes," responds Danielle. "I Quit is like a slogan. You have to consciously practice ignoring the criticism and saying, 'I couldn't care less what people think'."
Development of Style
That developed resilience required a fresh approach – more unpolished and direct than any of the music the band had done before.
For Danielle, who worked on producing the album, that was founded on the percussion.
"Drums are such a detailed thing, and I focus so intensely about it," she states.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the title of our biography," quips Alana. "Our motto is, our albums won't commence until we find the right drum sound."
Stories and Shared Humor
The trio's honesty inspired the album's promotional campaign, where the sisters disclosed some of their romantic horror stories.
A former partner broke up with Este over a health consideration. Alana told a story of travelling to spend New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a high five at midnight.
"During these heartbreaks, you just feel like there's no hope," says Alana. "Therefore to be able to laugh at those stories and hear others tell you even crazier stories, it's therapeutic."
A Secure Legacy
It's not difficult sense a evolution in the band. These days, Haim are more confident of their standing in the music world.
They're festival headliners, with chart-topping albums and an international fan base.
Yet the sister act will forever be their number one focus.
"My sisters and I have been playing music since I was four," shares Alana. "There is no other path that we were destined for. And I'm really thankful we've reached this point and we're still going strong."
