The World is Encouraged to Join as the Extra Haim Bandmate.
"Any idea when you're interviewing the band?" an inquiry reads. "My request was to ask if I can be their newest bandmate."
There's just a key snag: I also longs to be the Haims' fourth member. And we're in plentiful company. A host of high-profile fans have also coveted the role.
The evidence suggests an irresistible appeal is happening. The siblings Este, Danielle and Alana started their musical journey doing sets at local delicatessens with their parents. Presently, they stand as multiple Grammy Award hopefuls.
Like all the most iconic groups, they're a tight-knit gang. Their videos frequently depict them marching in sync down the roads of Los Angeles. During performances, they perform with such unfettered happiness you inevitably think, "I'd love to be involved in that, too."
"The numerous instances on tour that audience members told us and said, 'After your show, I bought a guitar'," states Alana, the youngest of the Haim siblings. "That is the biggest compliment. That's an award in itself. Our mission is accomplished if we can motivate people to form a group."
"And thus all are welcome to be the fourth Haim sister."
Grammy Recognition
The group are speaking from a break, where they're recovering after an major tour in support of their new album, I Quit.
They're presently reeling from the news it's been in the running for Best Rock Album at the Grammys – with Haim the very first all-female band ever in contention for the prize.
"I watch the lists every year, so it almost feels like an out-of-body experience when your name is called," says Alana. "I had to call my sisters to say, 'Did we just hear this right or am I hallucinating'?"
The importance of the nomination resonates with the band.
"We deliberately set out to make a rock record this time, so it's a major achievement," continues Alana. "Yet we're just thankful for the pioneers that came before us."
Personal Turmoil and Humour
The project emerged from a phase of personal change. All three sisters ended up single, and the music captures that strange liminal space where you're glad to be free, but not quite ready to move on.
The lyrics track endings and goodbyes. The sisters want love, but not the kind of love they've had. You can hear them determining in the moment who they are becoming.
"I love summary, yes," responds Danielle. "I Quit is essentially a personal statement. You have to make an effort in shutting out the outside opinions and saying, 'I couldn't care less what people think'."
Development of Style
That developed confidence required a new sound – more raw and immediate than any of the music the band had done before.
For Danielle, who helped produce the album, that was founded on the drums.
"The drum sound is such a nuanced thing, and I focus so intensely about it," she emphasizes.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the subject of our book," quips Alana. "I've said it, our albums don't start until we find the right drum sound."
Experiences and Collective Humor
The band's honesty fueled the album's rollout, where the sisters shared some of their romantic horror stories.
Someone left Este over a health concern. Alana told a story of travelling to celebrate New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a casual gesture at midnight.
"Experiencing these setbacks, you just feel like there's only darkness," says Alana. "Therefore to be able to find humor in those stories and have them tell you even crazier stories, it's so amazing."
A Secure Future
One can easily sense a shift in the band. Now, Haim are more certain of their place in the music world.
They're top-billed acts, with chart-topping albums and an worldwide fan base.
But Haim will consistently be their primary focus.
"Me and my siblings have been playing music since I was a young child," concludes Alana. "It's like nothing else that we were destined for. And I'm really grateful we've made it and we're still going strong."
