All Fans Are Welcome to Join as the Additional Haim Sisters Sister.
"Do you know when you'll be interviewing the Haim sisters?" an inquiry reads. "My request was to ask if I can join as their extra sister."
There is only a key snag: The author likewise wants to be the Haims' additional sibling. And we're in plentiful company. Multiple high-profile fans have also begged for the role.
The evidence suggests something is happening. The siblings Este, Danielle and Alana began their musical journey playing gigs at neighborhood delis with their family. Today, they are repeated Grammy contenders.
In the tradition of the best ensembles, they're a tight-knit trio. Their videos repeatedly show them striding in sync down the streets of Los Angeles. During performances, they perform with such boundless happiness you inevitably think, "I wish to be part of that, too."
"How often on tour that fans came up to us and said, 'After your show, I bought a drum kit'," says Alana, the most junior of the trio. "That's the biggest compliment. That is recognition in itself. We've done our job if we can encourage others to make music."
"And thus all are welcome to be the next part of the family."
Award Nod
The band have called into a break, where they're recovering after an lengthy tour in support of their new album, I Quit.
They're right now processing the news it's been nominated for a top rock honor at the Grammy Awards – with Haim the pioneering all-woman band ever in contention for the prize.
"I follow the lists every year, so it sort of feels like a surreal movie when your name is called," says Alana. "I had to call my sisters to say, 'Did I hear this right or am I dreaming'?"
The weight of the honor is deeply felt by the band.
"We really set out to make a rock record this time, so it's a significant step," says Alana. "However we're just appreciative for the women that inspired us."
Emotional Upheaval and Laughter
The album emerged from a time of transition. All three sisters were single, and the music inhabits that strange in-between place where you're glad to be free, but not entirely ready to move on.
The words follow departures and partings. The sisters desire love, but not the specific love they've experienced. You can hear them working out in real time who they are becoming.
"That's a perfect description, yes," responds Danielle. "I Quit is like a mantra. You have to make an effort in ignoring the criticism and saying, 'I couldn't care less what people think'."
Evolution of Music
That developed toughness called for a fresh approach – more raw and direct than anything the band had done before.
For Danielle, who helped produce the album, that was founded on the drums.
"Percussion is such a detailed thing, and I care so much about it," she says.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the title of our book," laughs Alana. "I've said it, our albums won't commence until we find the ideal drum sound."
Stories and Collective Camaraderie
The trio's candor shaped the album's marketing, where the sisters disclosed some of their personal tales.
One man ended things with Este over a medical concern. Alana told a story of travelling to celebrate New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a casual gesture at midnight.
"When you're going through these setbacks, you just feel like there's no hope," explains Alana. "Thus to be able to share those stories and have them tell you wilder stories, it's incredible."
A Secure Path
You can clearly sense a shift in the band. Today, Haim are more confident of their place in the industry.
They're festival headliners, with successful albums and an global fan base.
But the band will forever be their number one focus.
"We have been playing music since I was four," says Alana. "There is no alternative that we were destined for. And I'm really thankful we've made it and we're still going strong."