The World is Encouraged to Join as the Fourth Haim Sisters Bandmate.
"Do you know when you'll be chatting with the band?" an inquiry reads. "I wanted to ask if I can join as their newest bandmate."
There is only one problem: The author likewise desires to be Haim's newest recruit. And we're not alone. Multiple celebrated fans have openly petitioned for the position.
It's clear a special quality is going on. Sisters Este, Danielle and Alana launched their career doing sets at small eateries with their family. Now they're repeated Grammy Award hopefuls.
In the tradition of the most iconic ensembles, they're a close unit. Their music videos frequently feature them walking in sync down the roads of Los Angeles. In concert, they jam with such pure happiness you find yourself thinking, "I want to be involved in that, too."
"How often on tour that young girls approached us and said, 'Watching you live, I picked up a bass'," states Alana, the youngest of the Haim siblings. "That's the biggest honour. That is recognition in itself. Our mission is accomplished if we can inspire people to form a group."
"And thus everyone is invited to be the next Haim sister."
Historic Recognition
The trio have called into their homes, where they're resting up after an major tour in for their latest album, I Quit.
They're currently reeling from the news it's been shortlisted for Best Rock Album at the Grammy Awards – with Haim the first all-woman band ever in consideration for the prize.
"I follow the announcements every year, so it almost feels like The Truman Show when your name is read out," says Alana. "I needed to phone my sisters to say, 'Am I hearing this correctly or am I imagining things'?"
The weight of the nomination isn't lost on the sisters.
"We deliberately set out to make a rock record this time, so it's a major step," adds Alana. "But we're just grateful for the pioneers that paved the way."
Personal Turmoil and Candor
The album was born from a time of emotional upheaval. All three sisters found themselves single, and the music captures that odd transitional period where you're happy to be free, but not quite ready to move on.
The words detail endings and partings. The sisters desire love, but not the kind of love they've got. You can hear them working out in real time who they aspire to be.
"I adore description, yes," responds Danielle. "I Quit is kind of like a slogan. You have to consciously practice ignoring the criticism and saying, 'I don't give what people think'."
Refinement of Style
That developed resilience demanded a fresh approach – more organic and powerful than anything the band had done before.
For Danielle, who worked on producing the album, that started with the drum sound.
"The drum sound is such a nuanced thing, and I care so much about it," she emphasizes.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the subject of our biography," quips Alana. "Our motto is, our albums cannot begin until we find the ideal drum sound."
Stories and Shared Camaraderie
The band's honesty shaped the album's rollout, where the sisters revealed some of their personal misadventures.
A former partner left Este over a medical consideration. Alana shared a story of travelling to celebrate 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 only darkness," says Alana. "So to be able to laugh at those stories and hear others tell you wilder stories, it's so amazing."
A Confident Future
One can easily sense a change in the band. These days, Haim are more confident of their place in the music world.
They're major draws, with hit albums and an worldwide following.
However the band will consistently be their top focus.
"Me and my siblings have been making music since I was a young child," shares Alana. "It's like no other path that we were meant to do. And I'm really fortunate we've reached this point and we're still making music."
