All Fans Are Encouraged to Become the Extra Haim Sisters Sister.
"When are you speaking to the band?" an inquiry pops up. "My request was to ask if I can become their newest bandmate."
There is only a key snag: I also wants to be Haim's newest recruit. And we're in plentiful company. A host of high-profile supporters have openly begged for the position.
It's clear a special quality is going on. The siblings Este, Danielle and Alana began their path playing gigs at neighborhood delis with their family. Now they're multi-time Grammy Award contenders.
Like all the best ensembles, they're a close gang. Their videos often feature them striding in unison down the streets of Los Angeles. On stage, they jam with such boundless exuberance you find yourself thinking, "I'd love to be a piece of that, too."
"The amount of times on tour that fans told us and said, 'Seeing you perform, I got a bass'," states Alana, the most junior of the Haim siblings. "It is the biggest honor. That's an award in itself. We've done our job if we can motivate others to start a band."
"And thus anyone gets an invitation to be the next Haim sister."
Award Milestone
The trio have called into their homes, where they're resting up after an major tour in support of their fourth album, I Quit.
They're presently reeling from the news it's been nominated for best rock album at the Grammy Awards – with Haim the pioneering female band ever in contention for the award.
"I follow the lists every year, so it kind of feels like a surreal movie when your name is read out," explains Alana. "I needed to phone my sisters to say, 'Am I hearing this correctly or am I dreaming'?"
The importance of the honor is deeply felt by the band.
"We truly set out to make a rock record this time, so it's a huge step," says Alana. "But we're just thankful for the women that came before us."
Heartbreak and Candor
The project was born from a period of emotional upheaval. All three sisters were single, and the music captures that unique transitional period where you're relieved to be free, but not quite ready to move on.
The themes track breakups and partings. The sisters desire love, but not the specific love they've experienced. You can hear them working out in real time who they want to be.
"I love summary, yes," responds Danielle. "I Quit is kind of like a mantra. You have to actively work on ignoring the noise and saying, 'I couldn't care less what people think'."
Evolution of Style
That recent confidence demanded a fresh approach – more unpolished and immediate than any of the music the band had done before.
For Danielle, who worked on producing the album, that started with the drums.
"Percussion 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 biography," jokes Alana. "Our motto is, our albums don't start until we find the perfect drum sound."
Stories and Shared Camaraderie
The trio's honesty shaped the album's marketing, where the sisters shared some of their romantic horror stories.
One man left Este over a health concern. Alana told a story of travelling to celebrate 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," explains Alana. "Therefore to be able to laugh at those stories and hear others tell you even crazier stories, it's so amazing."
A Secure Legacy
You can clearly sense a change in the band. These days, Haim are more confident of their place in the rock pantheon.
They're major draws, with hit albums and an worldwide fan base.
However Haim will consistently be their number one commitment.
"My sisters and I have been performing since I was four," shares Alana. "There is nothing else that we were meant to do. And I'm really thankful we've made it and we're still going strong."