All Fans is Invited to Become the Extra Haim Sisters Sister.
"When are you interviewing the band?" an inquiry reads. "I was hoping to ask if I can become their extra sister."
However, there remains a key snag: I also wants to be Haim's fourth member. And we're in plentiful company. Multiple celebrated fans have publicly petitioned for the position.
One thing is obvious a special quality is at play. The siblings Este, Danielle and Alana started their path playing gigs at neighborhood delis with their family. Presently, they stand as multiple Grammy Award contenders.
Like all the greatest bands, they're a close trio. Their visuals frequently show them marching in unison down the avenues of Los Angeles. In concert, they play with such boundless happiness you can't help but think, "I wish to be involved in that, too."
"The numerous instances on tour that audience members approached us and said, 'Seeing you perform, I got a bass'," remarks Alana, the most junior of the Haim siblings. "That's the greatest honour. It is a prize in itself. Our mission is accomplished if we can encourage people to make music."
"Therefore all is invited to be the honorary Haim sister."
Historic Recognition
The band are speaking from their homes, where they're recovering after an extensive tour in promoting their fourth album, I Quit.
They're currently celebrating the news it's been nominated for a top rock honor at the Grammys – with Haim the pioneering all-woman band ever in contention for the prize.
"I follow the nominations every year, so it almost feels like an out-of-body experience when your name is announced," says Alana. "I immediately called my sisters to say, 'Did I hear this correctly or am I imagining things'?"
The importance of the nomination isn't lost on the trio.
"We deliberately set out to make a guitar-driven album this time, so it's a huge milestone," says Alana. "Yet we're just thankful for the women that paved the way."
Emotional Upheaval and Laughter
The record came out of a time of personal change. All three sisters were single, and the music inhabits that unique liminal space where you're glad to be free, but not yet ready to start anew.
The words follow endings and farewells. The sisters want love, but not the relationships they've had. You can hear them working out in real time who they want to be.
"I adore summary, yes," responds Danielle. "I Quit is essentially a slogan. You have to actively work on shutting out the outside opinions and saying, 'It doesn't matter to me what people think'."
Development of Sound
That recent resilience required a different sonic direction – more unpolished and direct than anything the band had done before.
For Danielle, who worked on producing the album, that started with the percussion.
"Percussion is such a detailed thing, and I care so much about it," she states.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the name of our biography," quips Alana. "Our motto is, our albums cannot begin until we find the ideal drum sound."
Stories and Shared Humor
The trio's candor inspired the album's marketing, where the sisters disclosed some of their personal misadventures.
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.
"Experiencing these setbacks, you just feel like there's no hope," notes Alana. "Thus to be able to share those stories and hear others tell you even crazier stories, it's incredible."
An Assured Future
One can easily sense a shift in the band. Today, Haim are more certain of their position in the rock pantheon.
They're major draws, with hit albums and an international fan base.
However Haim will always be their primary priority.
"We have been making music since I was a young child," concludes Alana. "It's like nothing else that we were supposed to do. And I'm really grateful we've gotten here and we're still kicking."
