All Fans is Welcome to Join as the Extra Haim Sister.
"Do you know when you'll be speaking to the Haim sisters?" an inquiry reads. "My request was to ask if I can be their extra sister."
There is only a single issue: The author likewise desires to be Haim's newest recruit. And we're in plentiful company. A host of high-profile admirers have also coveted the position.
One thing is obvious a special quality is happening. Sisters Este, Danielle and Alana launched their path doing sets at small eateries with their parents. Presently, they stand as repeated Grammy hopefuls.
Like all the greatest ensembles, they're a close trio. Their videos repeatedly show them marching in unison down the streets of Los Angeles. During performances, they perform with such unfettered exuberance you inevitably think, "I want to be part of that, too."
"How often on tour that young girls approached us and said, 'Seeing you perform, I picked up a bass'," remarks Alana, the youngest of the Haim siblings. "It is the greatest compliment. That is recognition in itself. We've done our job if we can motivate others to form a group."
"So everyone is invited to be the fourth Haim sister."
Historic Nod
The trio are speaking from their homes, where they're recovering after an major tour in promoting their new album, I Quit.
They're right now reeling from the news it's been in the running for best rock album at the Grammy Awards – with Haim the first female band ever in the running for the trophy.
"I tune into the lists every year, so it sort of feels like an out-of-body experience when your name is announced," says Alana. "I had to call my sisters to say, 'Did we just hear this right or am I dreaming'?"
The weight of the honor is deeply felt by the trio.
"We deliberately set out to make a rock album this time, so it's a significant milestone," continues Alana. "But we're just grateful for the women that inspired us."
Heartbreak and Candor
The project was born from a phase of personal change. All three sisters found themselves single, and the music captures that unique transitional period where you're glad to be free, but not yet ready to let go.
The themes track departures and partings. The sisters desire love, but not the specific love they've got. You can hear them determining in real life who they are becoming.
"I adore way of putting it, yes," says Danielle. "I Quit is like a personal statement. You have to make an effort in shutting out the criticism and saying, 'I couldn't care less what people think'."
Evolution of Style
That developed toughness demanded a fresh approach – more unpolished and immediate than anything the band had done before.
For Danielle, who worked on producing the album, that began with the percussion.
"Percussion is such a specific thing, and I care so much about it," she emphasizes.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the name of our book," quips Alana. "Our motto is, our albums cannot begin until we find the right drum sound."
Stories and Collective Laughter
The trio's candor fueled the album's marketing, where the sisters shared some of their romantic tales.
One man left Este over a health concern. Alana told a story of travelling to celebrate New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a high five at midnight.
"During these breakups, you just feel like there's only darkness," explains Alana. "Therefore to be able to laugh at those stories and hear others tell you wilder stories, it's therapeutic."
An Assured Legacy
It's not difficult sense a shift in the band. Today, Haim are more assured of their position in the industry.
They're festival headliners, with successful albums and an international audience.
Yet Haim will consistently be their top priority.
"Me and my siblings have been playing music since I was a young child," says Alana. "It feels as if no alternative that we were supposed to do. And I'm really fortunate we've made it and we're still going strong."
