Everyone Are Encouraged to Be the Extra Haim Sisters Sister.
"When are you chatting with Haim?" a text pops up. "I wanted to ask if I can become their fourth member."
There is only one problem: I also longs to be Haim's fourth member. And we're not alone. A host of famous fans have openly begged for the honor.
It's clear a special quality is going on. The siblings Este, Danielle and Alana began their path doing sets at neighborhood delis with their parents. Now they're multiple Grammy Award contenders.
Like all the best ensembles, they're a tight-knit unit. Their music videos frequently show them marching in unison down the streets of Los Angeles. On stage, they jam with such boundless exuberance you inevitably think, "I'd love to be part of that, too."
"The amount of times on tour that fans came up to us and said, 'After your show, I got a bass'," says Alana, the youngest of the trio. "It is the ultimate honor. That is recognition in itself. We have succeeded if we can encourage people to start a band."
"So everyone are welcome to be the next part of the family."
Award Milestone
The group are speaking from home, where they're recovering after an lengthy tour in for their fourth album, I Quit.
They're currently celebrating the news it's been in the running for best rock album at the Grammys – with Haim the pioneering all-female band ever in the running for the trophy.
"I tune into the lists every year, so it kind of feels like an out-of-body experience when your name is called," notes Alana. "I immediately called my sisters to say, 'Am I hearing this right or am I imagining things'?"
The weight of the honor resonates with the sisters.
"We truly set out to make a rock album this time, so it's a significant achievement," adds Alana. "However we're just grateful for the women that inspired us."
Heartbreak and Laughter
The project was born from a period of emotional upheaval. All three sisters found themselves single, and the music inhabits that unique transitional period where you're relieved to be free, but not quite ready to let go.
The themes track endings and goodbyes. The sisters want love, but not the specific love they've experienced. You can hear them working out in real life who they aspire to be.
"I adore summary, yes," agrees Danielle. "I Quit is essentially a personal statement. You have to consciously practice blocking the outside opinions and saying, 'I couldn't care less what people think'."
Evolution of Music
That recent resilience demanded a different sonic direction – more raw and powerful than any of the music the band had done before.
For Danielle, who helped produce the album, that was founded on the percussion.
"Drums are such a specific thing, and I am so passionate about it," she says.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the title of our memoir," jokes Alana. "I always say, our albums won't commence until we find the ideal drum sound."
Stories and Collective Camaraderie
The band's honesty inspired the album's rollout, where the sisters disclosed some of their dating tales.
One man ended things with Este over a medical consideration. Alana shared 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," says Alana. "So to be able to laugh at those stories and hear others tell you even crazier stories, it's therapeutic."
An Assured Legacy
You can clearly sense a evolution in the band. Today, Haim are more certain of their position in the industry.
They're major draws, with hit albums and an global fan base.
However the band will consistently be their top commitment.
"Me and my siblings have been playing music since I was four," says Alana. "It feels as if no alternative that we were meant to do. And I'm really fortunate we've gotten here and we're still kicking."