Everyone is Invited to Be the Fourth Haim Sister.
"When are you interviewing the band?" a text pops up. "I wanted to ask if I can join as their extra sister."
There is only one problem: The sender also longs to be Haim's newest recruit. What's more, we are not alone. Several famous supporters have publicly begged for the role.
The evidence suggests an irresistible appeal is happening. The siblings Este, Danielle and Alana began their musical journey playing gigs at local delicatessens with their family. Now they're multiple Grammy contenders.
In the tradition of the best groups, they're a inseparable gang. Their music videos frequently depict them striding in harmony down the roads of Los Angeles. During performances, they play 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, 'Watching you live, I got a bass'," remarks Alana, the youngest of the sisters. "That is the greatest honour. That's an award in itself. Our mission is accomplished if we can motivate others to start a band."
"And thus everyone are welcome to be the fourth part of the family."
Grammy Milestone
The trio are connecting from home, where they're resting up after an major tour in support of their fourth album, I Quit.
They're right now processing the news it's been in the running for a top rock honor at the Grammy Awards – with Haim the pioneering all-female band ever in consideration for the prize.
"I tune into the nominations every year, so it almost feels like an out-of-body experience when your name is announced," notes Alana. "I had to call my sisters to say, 'Did I hear this correctly or am I imagining things'?"
The importance of the nomination is deeply felt by the trio.
"We deliberately set out to make a rock album this time, so it's a major achievement," adds Alana. "However we're just thankful for the female artists that paved the way."
Heartbreak and Laughter
The record emerged from a time of emotional upheaval. All three sisters found themselves single, and the music inhabits that unique transitional period where you're happy to be free, but not yet ready to start anew.
The themes detail endings and partings. The sisters seek love, but not the specific love they've had. You can hear them determining in real time who they want to be.
"I adore description, yes," says Danielle. "I Quit is essentially a mantra. You have to actively work on ignoring the criticism and saying, 'I couldn't care less what people think'."
Refinement of Sound
That developed confidence called for a different sonic direction – more unpolished and powerful than anything the band had done before.
For Danielle, who co-produced the album, that began 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 title of our memoir," jokes Alana. "Our motto is, our albums cannot begin until we find the perfect drum sound."
Stories and Shared Camaraderie
The trio's honesty inspired the album's rollout, where the sisters disclosed some of their personal tales.
A former partner left Este over a health concern. Alana told a story of travelling to spend New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a casual gesture at midnight.
"During these setbacks, you just feel like there's only darkness," explains Alana. "So to be able to laugh at those stories and hear others tell you wilder stories, it's so amazing."
An Assured Legacy
You can clearly sense a shift in the band. Now, Haim are more certain of their position in the rock pantheon.
They're major draws, with chart-topping albums and an international audience.
Yet the sister act will consistently be their number one focus.
"My sisters and I have been performing since I was four," shares Alana. "It's like nothing else that we were supposed to do. And I'm really thankful we've made it and we're still kicking."