All Fans is Encouraged to Become the Additional Haim Bandmate.
"Do you know when you'll be interviewing Haim?" an inquiry pops up. "My request was to ask if I can join as their extra sister."
There is only one problem: I also wants to be the Haims' newest recruit. What's more, we are far from alone. Several high-profile supporters have openly begged for the honor.
It's clear an irresistible appeal is happening. The siblings Este, Danielle and Alana launched their path playing gigs at local delicatessens with their family. Today, they are multi-time Grammy nominees.
Like all the most iconic ensembles, they're a close unit. Their videos repeatedly show them marching in sync down the avenues of Los Angeles. During performances, they play with such unfettered happiness you can't help but think, "I want to be involved in that, too."
"The amount of times on tour that young girls approached us and said, 'Watching you live, I picked up a drum kit'," says Alana, the youngest of the Haim siblings. "That is the biggest honor. That's an award in itself. We have succeeded if we can inspire young girls to form a group."
"And thus anyone gets an invitation to be the fourth member of Haim."
Historic Nod
The group are speaking from home, where they're resting up after an lengthy tour in for their latest album, I Quit.
They're presently celebrating the news it's been shortlisted for Best Rock Album at the Grammys – with Haim the very first female band ever in contention for the trophy.
"I watch the nominations every year, so it sort of feels like a surreal movie when your name is announced," notes Alana. "I immediately called my sisters to say, 'Did I hear this right or am I hallucinating'?"
The weight of the nomination resonates with the band.
"We really set out to make a guitar-driven album this time, so it's a major achievement," says Alana. "However we're just grateful for the women that inspired us."
Personal Turmoil and Laughter
The album came out of a period of personal change. All three sisters ended up single, and the music captures that odd transitional period where you're happy to be free, but not yet ready to let go.
The themes track departures and partings. The sisters seek love, but not the kind of love they've had. You can hear them working out in real life who they want to be.
"That's a perfect way of putting it, yes," says Danielle. "I Quit is essentially a slogan. You have to make an effort in blocking the noise and saying, 'It doesn't matter to me what people think'."
Evolution of Style
That newfound toughness required a different sonic direction – more raw and powerful 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 am so passionate about it," she emphasizes.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the name of our biography," quips Alana. "I always say, our albums don't start until we find the ideal drum sound."
Stories and Collective Humor
The band's honesty fueled the album's rollout, where the sisters revealed some of their dating tales.
One man left Este over a medical consideration. Alana recalled a story of flying to spend New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a friendly slap at midnight.
"When you're going through these setbacks, you just feel like there's no light," explains Alana. "Therefore to be able to find humor in those stories and hear others tell you wilder stories, it's incredible."
A Secure Future
You can clearly sense a evolution in the band. Today, Haim are more assured of their standing in the music world.
They're festival headliners, with chart-topping albums and an worldwide following.
Yet the band will forever be their primary priority.
"My sisters and I have been playing music since I was a young child," concludes Alana. "There is no alternative that we were destined for. And I'm really grateful we've gotten here and we're still making music."