All Fans is Encouraged to Become the Extra Haim Sisters Sister.
"Any idea when you're chatting with Haim?" a text reads. "I wanted to ask if I can join as their extra sister."
There's just a single issue: The sender also desires to be Haim's newest recruit. What's more, we are not alone. Several famous supporters have also coveted the role.
It's clear an irresistible appeal is at play. The siblings Este, Danielle and Alana began their career performing shows at local delicatessens with their family. Today, they are multi-time Grammy nominees.
In the tradition of the best ensembles, they're a inseparable trio. Their music videos repeatedly feature them marching in harmony down the roads of Los Angeles. In concert, they jam with such pure joy you can't help but think, "I'd love to be involved in that, too."
"The numerous instances on tour that audience members told us and said, 'Seeing you perform, I got a guitar'," says Alana, the most junior of the sisters. "It is the greatest honor. It is a prize in itself. We've done our job if we can inspire people to make music."
"And thus all gets an invitation to be the next part of the family."
Historic Recognition
The trio are connecting from their homes, where they're taking a pause after an lengthy tour in support of their latest album, I Quit.
They're presently processing the news it's been shortlisted for best rock album at the Grammys – with Haim the very first all-female band ever in consideration for the prize.
"I tune into the nominations every year, so it kind of feels like a surreal movie when your name is read out," explains Alana. "I had to call my sisters to say, 'Am I hearing this right or am I dreaming'?"
The significance of the accolade is deeply felt by the trio.
"We deliberately set out to make a guitar-driven album this time, so it's a major step," says Alana. "Yet we're just thankful for the women that paved the way."
Emotional Upheaval and Laughter
The project emerged from a period of personal change. All three sisters ended up single, and the music inhabits that unique liminal space where you're relieved to be free, but not quite ready to let go.
The words track departures and farewells. The sisters seek love, but not the relationships they've got. You can hear them working out in real life who they want to be.
"I adore way of putting it, yes," says Danielle. "I Quit is kind of like a mantra. You have to consciously practice blocking the noise and saying, 'It doesn't matter to me what people think'."
Refinement of Music
That newfound toughness called for a different sonic direction – more unpolished and immediate than any of the music the band had done before.
For Danielle, who worked on producing the album, that was founded on the percussion.
"Percussion is such a nuanced thing, and I am so passionate about it," she emphasizes.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the title of our book," laughs Alana. "I always say, our albums cannot begin until we find the perfect drum sound."
Experiences and Collective Laughter
The trio's openness shaped the album's rollout, where the sisters shared some of their romantic horror stories.
One man ended things with Este over a health concern. Alana shared a story of flying to celebrate New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a casual gesture at midnight.
"During these heartbreaks, you just feel like there's no hope," explains Alana. "Thus to be able to laugh at those stories and have them tell you even crazier stories, it's therapeutic."
A Secure Path
One can easily sense a shift in the band. Now, Haim are more assured of their place in the rock pantheon.
They're festival headliners, with successful albums and an international fan base.
However Haim will always be their primary priority.
"My sisters and I have been playing music since I was little," shares Alana. "It's like no other path that we were supposed to do. And I'm really grateful we've made it and we're still kicking."