The World Are Welcome to Become the Fourth Haim Sister.
"Any idea when you're speaking to the Haim sisters?" a message arrives. "My request was to ask if I can be their fourth member."
However, there remains a key snag: I also longs to be Haim's fourth member. Furthermore, we are not alone. A host of famous supporters have openly begged for the position.
It's clear something is going on. The siblings Este, Danielle and Alana started their path playing gigs at local delicatessens with their parents. Presently, they stand as multi-time Grammy Award hopefuls.
Similar to the most iconic bands, they're a inseparable trio. Their visuals often feature them walking in harmony down the roads of Los Angeles. On stage, they play with such pure exuberance you find yourself thinking, "I want to be a piece of that, too."
"The amount of times on tour that young girls told us and said, 'After your show, I picked up a bass'," states Alana, the youngest of the sisters. "It is the biggest honour. It is a prize in itself. We have succeeded if we can inspire others to form a group."
"Therefore anyone gets an invitation to be the next Haim sister."
Award Recognition
The band are speaking from home, where they're taking a pause after an lengthy tour in for their new album, I Quit.
They're presently reeling from the news it's been nominated for a top rock honor at the Grammy Awards – with Haim the first all-woman band ever in the running for the prize.
"I tune into the announcements every year, so it kind of feels like The Truman Show when your name is read out," notes Alana. "I immediately called my sisters to say, 'Am I hearing this right or am I imagining things'?"
The importance of the accolade is deeply felt by the trio.
"We really set out to make a rock album this time, so it's a major achievement," says Alana. "However we're just appreciative for the pioneers that came before us."
Emotional Upheaval and Laughter
The album was born from a period of personal change. All three sisters were single, and the music captures that odd liminal space where you're relieved to be free, but not entirely ready to move on.
The lyrics follow departures and farewells. The sisters seek love, but not the relationships they've had. You can hear them determining in the moment who they are becoming.
"I love way of putting it, yes," responds Danielle. "I Quit is kind of like a mantra. You have to consciously practice shutting out the noise and saying, 'I couldn't care less what people think'."
Refinement of Sound
That newfound confidence demanded a different sonic direction – more organic and immediate than anything the band had done before.
For Danielle, who co-produced the album, that began with the drums.
"The drum sound is such a specific thing, and I care so much about it," she states.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the name of our memoir," jokes Alana. "Our motto is, our albums won't commence until we find the ideal drum sound."
Anecdotes and Collective Laughter
The band's honesty fueled the album's marketing, where the sisters disclosed some of their dating horror stories.
One man left Este over a health concern. Alana recalled a story of flying to spend New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a casual gesture at midnight.
"Experiencing these breakups, you just feel like there's no light," explains Alana. "Thus to be able to laugh at those stories and hear others tell you wilder stories, it's incredible."
An Assured Path
One can easily sense a change in the band. Now, Haim are more certain of their position in the music world.
They're top-billed acts, with hit albums and an global audience.
But the sister act will always be their primary focus.
"My sisters and I have been playing music since I was a young child," says Alana. "It's like no other path that we were supposed to do. And I'm really fortunate we've made it and we're still kicking."