All Fans Are Welcome to Be the Additional Haim Bandmate.
"Do you know when you'll be chatting with Haim?" an inquiry pops up. "My request was to ask if I can become their fourth member."
There's just one problem: The sender also wants to be Haim's newest recruit. And we're not alone. Multiple famous admirers have openly petitioned for the position.
It's clear a special quality is happening. The siblings Este, Danielle and Alana launched their career playing gigs at local delicatessens with their family. Today, they are multi-time Grammy contenders.
In the tradition of the greatest bands, they're a close unit. Their music videos frequently feature them marching in sync down the roads of Los Angeles. In concert, they jam with such boundless happiness you can't help but think, "I wish to be involved in that, too."
"The amount of times on tour that young girls told us and said, 'Watching you live, I bought a drum kit'," says Alana, the most junior of the Haim siblings. "It is the ultimate honor. That's an award in itself. We have succeeded if we can encourage young girls to make music."
"So everyone are welcome to be the honorary part of the family."
Historic Nod
The group are speaking from a break, where they're recovering after an major tour in promoting their new album, I Quit.
They're right now reeling from the news it's been shortlisted for Best Rock Album at the Grammys – with Haim the first female band ever in contention for the award.
"I tune into the nominations every year, so it almost feels like The Truman Show when your name is called," explains Alana. "I immediately called my sisters to say, 'Am I hearing this right or am I dreaming'?"
The weight of the nomination isn't lost on the sisters.
"We really set out to make a rock record this time, so it's a huge achievement," continues Alana. "But we're just grateful for the female artists that paved the way."
Emotional Upheaval and Candor
The album came out of a period of emotional upheaval. All three sisters were single, and the music explores that unique transitional period where you're glad to be free, but not yet ready to start anew.
The lyrics follow endings and partings. The sisters want love, but not the kind of love they've got. You can hear them determining in the moment who they want to be.
"I love way of putting it, yes," says Danielle. "I Quit is like a mantra. You have to consciously practice ignoring the outside opinions and saying, 'I don't give what people think'."
Refinement of Sound
That newfound confidence demanded a new sound – more organic and powerful than any of the music the band had done before.
For Danielle, who co-produced the album, that started with the drums.
"The drum sound is such a specific thing, and I focus so intensely about it," she states.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the title of our book," laughs Alana. "I've said it, our albums won't commence until we find the perfect drum sound."
Experiences and Collective Humor
The band's openness inspired the album's promotional campaign, where the sisters disclosed some of their romantic tales.
One man broke up with Este over a health concern. Alana told a story of travelling to spend New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a friendly slap at midnight.
"During these setbacks, you just feel like there's only darkness," notes Alana. "So to be able to find humor in those stories and hear others tell you more outrageous stories, it's therapeutic."
A Confident Path
You can clearly sense a shift in the band. Today, Haim are more confident of their place in the rock pantheon.
They're top-billed acts, with chart-topping albums and an international audience.
However Haim will always be their top commitment.
"Me and my siblings have been playing music since I was little," concludes Alana. "There is no other path that we were supposed to do. And I'm really thankful we've made it and we're still kicking."