All Fans is Welcome to Become the Fourth Haim Sisters Member.
"Do you know when you'll be interviewing the Haim sisters?" a text arrives. "I wanted to ask if I can become their fourth member."
There's just a single issue: The author likewise longs to be the Haims' newest recruit. Furthermore, we are in plentiful company. A host of celebrated admirers have also petitioned for the honor.
One thing is obvious something is at play. The siblings Este, Danielle and Alana launched their musical journey doing sets at small eateries with their parents. Today, they are multiple Grammy nominees.
Similar to the most iconic groups, they're a inseparable gang. Their music videos frequently show them walking in sync down the roads of Los Angeles. On stage, they play with such unfettered happiness you inevitably think, "I want to be part of that, too."
"How often on tour that young girls told us and said, 'Watching you live, I bought a bass'," states Alana, the youngest of the sisters. "That's the ultimate honor. It is a prize in itself. Our mission is accomplished if we can motivate young girls to make music."
"And thus everyone gets an invitation to be the honorary Haim sister."
Grammy Recognition
The group are connecting from a break, where they're resting up after an lengthy tour in promoting their fourth album, I Quit.
They're currently reeling from the news it's been shortlisted for best rock album at the Grammys – with Haim the pioneering female band ever in the running for the prize.
"I follow the nominations every year, so it sort of feels like a surreal movie when your name is read out," notes Alana. "I needed to phone my sisters to say, 'Did I hear this right or am I hallucinating'?"
The significance of the nomination is deeply felt by the band.
"We deliberately set out to make a rock album this time, so it's a major step," continues Alana. "However we're just thankful for the female artists that paved the way."
Heartbreak and Humour
The project emerged from a period of emotional upheaval. All three sisters were single, and the music inhabits that strange transitional period where you're relieved to be free, but not entirely ready to start anew.
The themes track endings and partings. The sisters seek love, but not the relationships they've got. You can hear them determining in real life who they are becoming.
"I love description, yes," responds Danielle. "I Quit is like a personal statement. You have to make an effort in blocking the criticism and saying, 'I couldn't care less what people think'."
Refinement of Music
That newfound toughness required a fresh approach – more organic and powerful than any of the music the band had done before.
For Danielle, who helped produce the album, that started with the drum sound.
"The drum sound is such a nuanced thing, and I am so passionate about it," she states.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the title of our book," quips Alana. "I always say, our albums don't start until we find the perfect drum sound."
Experiences and Shared Camaraderie
The band's honesty inspired the album's promotional campaign, where the sisters shared some of their romantic misadventures.
Someone ended things with 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.
"During these heartbreaks, you just feel like there's no hope," says Alana. "So to be able to laugh at those stories and have them tell you even crazier stories, it's so amazing."
An Assured Path
You can clearly sense a change in the band. These days, Haim are more confident of their position in the industry.
They're festival headliners, with successful albums and an worldwide audience.
Yet the sister act will consistently be their primary focus.
"My sisters and I have been playing music since I was four," shares 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."