The World is Welcome to Join as the Extra Haim Sister.
"When are you chatting with the band?" a message pops up. "I wanted to ask if I can join as their extra sister."
There's just a single issue: The author likewise desires to be Haim's newest recruit. What's more, we are not alone. A host of high-profile supporters have openly begged for the honor.
The evidence suggests a special quality is happening. Sisters Este, Danielle and Alana launched their path performing shows at neighborhood delis with their parents. Presently, they stand as multi-time Grammy Award nominees.
Like all the best bands, they're a tight-knit trio. Their music videos frequently feature them marching in unison down the roads of Los Angeles. In concert, they perform with such boundless exuberance you inevitably think, "I want to be a piece of that, too."
"The amount of times on tour that audience members told us and said, 'Seeing you perform, I picked up a guitar'," states Alana, the most junior of the Haim siblings. "That is the ultimate honor. That is recognition in itself. We have succeeded if we can encourage people to form a group."
"So everyone gets an invitation to be the fourth member of Haim."
Award Nod
The band are connecting from home, where they're taking a pause after an major tour in promoting their fourth album, I Quit.
They're presently processing the news it's been shortlisted for best rock album at the Grammy Awards – with Haim the first female band ever in consideration for the prize.
"I watch the nominations every year, so it kind of feels like a surreal movie when your name is read out," says Alana. "I immediately called my sisters to say, 'Am I hearing this correctly or am I dreaming'?"
The weight of the honor resonates with the sisters.
"We really set out to make a rock record this time, so it's a major step," continues Alana. "But we're just grateful for the female artists that paved the way."
Emotional Upheaval and Laughter
The album came out of a period of transition. All three sisters found themselves single, and the music inhabits that odd transitional period where you're relieved to be free, but not entirely ready to start anew.
The lyrics detail departures and goodbyes. The sisters seek love, but not the kind of love they've got. You can hear them working out in real time who they want to be.
"That's a perfect description, yes," responds Danielle. "I Quit is essentially a personal statement. You have to actively work on shutting out the criticism and saying, 'It doesn't matter to me what people think'."
Evolution of Music
That recent confidence demanded a fresh approach – more organic 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 drum sound.
"Percussion is such a detailed thing, and I am so passionate about it," she states.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the title of our memoir," quips Alana. "Our motto is, our albums won't commence until we find the right drum sound."
Experiences and Collective Humor
The trio's candor shaped the album's rollout, where the sisters shared some of their personal tales.
A former partner ended things with Este over a health consideration. Alana told a story of flying to spend New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a casual gesture at midnight.
"Experiencing these setbacks, you just feel like there's only darkness," notes Alana. "Thus to be able to laugh at those stories and have them tell you wilder stories, it's incredible."
A Confident Legacy
You can clearly sense a shift in the band. Now, Haim are more certain of their place in the music world.
They're top-billed acts, with chart-topping albums and an worldwide fan base.
However the band will forever be their top focus.
"Me and my siblings have been playing music since I was a young child," concludes Alana. "There is no alternative that we were supposed to do. And I'm really grateful we've reached this point and we're still going strong."