All Fans is Invited to Be the Additional Haim Sister.
"Any idea when you're speaking to Haim?" a text pops up. "My request was to ask if I can become their fourth member."
There is only a single issue: I also desires to be Haim's additional sibling. What's more, we are far from alone. Several famous supporters have also petitioned for the honor.
It's clear an irresistible appeal is at play. The siblings Este, Danielle and Alana started their musical journey doing sets at neighborhood delis with their family. Today, they are repeated Grammy Award contenders.
Like all the best bands, they're a close trio. Their music videos frequently show them marching in sync down the streets of Los Angeles. During performances, they perform with such pure happiness you find yourself thinking, "I wish to be involved in that, too."
"The numerous instances on tour that young girls came up to us and said, 'Watching you live, I picked up a guitar'," remarks Alana, the most junior of the trio. "That's the greatest honour. It is a prize in itself. We have succeeded if we can motivate young girls to form a group."
"And thus everyone are welcome to be the honorary Haim sister."
Grammy Recognition
The band are connecting from their homes, where they're recovering after an lengthy tour in support of their new album, I Quit.
They're right now processing the news it's been nominated for a top rock honor at the Grammy Awards – with Haim the pioneering female band ever in the running for the award.
"I tune into the lists every year, so it almost feels like The Truman Show when your name is called," says Alana. "I had to call my sisters to say, 'Am I hearing this right or am I hallucinating'?"
The significance of the nomination isn't lost on the band.
"We really set out to make a rock record this time, so it's a major milestone," says Alana. "Yet we're just thankful for the female artists that paved the way."
Heartbreak and Candor
The project came out of a phase of transition. All three sisters were single, and the music captures that strange liminal space where you're relieved to be free, but not quite ready to let go.
The lyrics track breakups and partings. The sisters want love, but not the relationships they've had. You can hear them figuring out in real time who they aspire to be.
"I love description, yes," agrees Danielle. "I Quit is like a mantra. You have to actively work on blocking the criticism and saying, 'I don't give what people think'."
Development of Music
That newfound toughness demanded a fresh approach – more organic and powerful than anything the band had done before.
For Danielle, who worked on producing the album, that started with the drum sound.
"Drums are such a nuanced thing, and I focus so intensely about it," she states.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the subject of our biography," laughs Alana. "Our motto is, our albums don't start until we find the perfect drum sound."
Anecdotes and Collective Camaraderie
The band's openness shaped the album's rollout, where the sisters shared some of their dating horror stories.
A former partner broke up with Este over a medical consideration. Alana told a story of travelling to spend New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a friendly slap at midnight.
"Experiencing these breakups, you just feel like there's only darkness," says Alana. "So to be able to share those stories and have them tell you wilder stories, it's incredible."
A Confident Path
It's not difficult sense a shift in the band. Today, Haim are more assured of their position in the music world.
They're festival headliners, with hit albums and an global following.
Yet Haim will always be their number one priority.
"We have been performing since I was four," concludes Alana. "It feels as if no other path that we were destined for. And I'm really grateful we've reached this point and we're still going strong."