Everyone is Encouraged to Be the Extra Haim Bandmate.
"Any idea when you're chatting with the band?" a text arrives. "I wanted to ask if I can join as their extra sister."
There is only a key snag: The sender also wants to be the Haims' newest recruit. What's more, we are in plentiful company. Several celebrated admirers have publicly coveted the position.
The evidence suggests an irresistible appeal is at play. The siblings Este, Danielle and Alana began their path playing gigs at neighborhood delis with their parents. Now they're repeated Grammy Award hopefuls.
In the tradition of the greatest bands, they're a tight-knit unit. Their videos often feature them walking in unison down the avenues of Los Angeles. During performances, they jam with such boundless exuberance you inevitably think, "I wish to be a piece of that, too."
"The amount of times on tour that young girls told us and said, 'Watching you live, I bought a bass'," says Alana, the youngest of the Haim siblings. "That's the ultimate honour. That is recognition in itself. We've done our job if we can inspire people to make music."
"Therefore anyone is invited to be the honorary part of the family."
Award Nod
The group are speaking from a break, where they're resting up after an lengthy tour in support of their latest album, I Quit.
They're right now celebrating the news it's been shortlisted for a top rock honor at the Grammys – with Haim the very first female band ever in contention for the prize.
"I watch the lists every year, so it kind of feels like a surreal movie when your name is read out," says Alana. "I needed to phone my sisters to say, 'Did we just hear this correctly or am I dreaming'?"
The weight of the accolade isn't lost on the sisters.
"We really set out to make a guitar-driven album this time, so it's a significant step," adds Alana. "But we're just grateful for the pioneers that came before us."
Emotional Upheaval and Candor
The project was born from a period of transition. All three sisters ended up single, and the music explores that odd liminal space where you're relieved to be free, but not quite ready to move on.
The themes detail breakups and partings. The sisters desire love, but not the relationships they've had. You can hear them determining in real life who they want to be.
"I love summary, yes," responds Danielle. "I Quit is like a slogan. You have to make an effort in shutting out the noise and saying, 'I don't give what people think'."
Development of Style
That developed resilience demanded a new sound – more organic and immediate than any of the music the band had done before.
For Danielle, who helped produce the album, that started with the percussion.
"The drum sound is such a nuanced thing, and I am so passionate about it," she says.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the subject of our biography," quips Alana. "I always say, our albums cannot begin until we find the perfect drum sound."
Anecdotes and Shared Laughter
The trio's openness shaped the album's marketing, where the sisters shared some of their personal misadventures.
One man broke up with Este over a health consideration. Alana shared a story of travelling to celebrate New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a friendly slap at midnight.
"During these heartbreaks, you just feel like there's no hope," says Alana. "So to be able to share those stories and hear others tell you even crazier stories, it's therapeutic."
An Assured Legacy
One can easily sense a shift in the band. Now, Haim are more certain of their place in the industry.
They're top-billed acts, with hit albums and an international audience.
Yet the sister act will always be their primary focus.
"My sisters and I have been playing music since I was a young child," concludes Alana. "There is no alternative that we were supposed to do. And I'm really fortunate we've reached this point and we're still kicking."