The World is Encouraged to Become the Extra Haim Member.
"Do you know when you'll be speaking to the band?" a text reads. "My request was to ask if I can be their newest bandmate."
There is only a single issue: The author likewise longs to be the Haims' newest recruit. Furthermore, we are far from alone. Several celebrated admirers have publicly coveted the position.
One thing is obvious an irresistible appeal is at play. Sisters Este, Danielle and Alana began their musical journey doing sets at neighborhood delis with their parents. Now they're multi-time Grammy nominees.
Like all the best bands, they're a inseparable trio. Their visuals repeatedly depict them marching in harmony down the streets of Los Angeles. In concert, they perform with such boundless joy you inevitably think, "I want to be a piece of that, too."
"The numerous instances on tour that young girls approached us and said, 'Watching you live, I bought a guitar'," says Alana, the youngest of the Haim siblings. "That is the ultimate honor. That's an award in itself. We've done our job if we can encourage young girls to make music."
"Therefore anyone gets an invitation to be the honorary part of the family."
Historic Milestone
The trio are speaking from their homes, where they're recovering after an major tour in support of their latest album, I Quit.
They're right now celebrating the news it's been shortlisted for Best Rock Album at the Grammys – with Haim the very first female band ever in the running for the award.
"I follow the announcements every year, so it kind of feels like a surreal movie when your name is announced," says Alana. "I had to call my sisters to say, 'Did we just hear this correctly or am I imagining things'?"
The importance of the honor resonates with the band.
"We really set out to make a guitar-driven album this time, so it's a significant step," says Alana. "But we're just grateful for the women that came before us."
Emotional Upheaval and Humour
The album was born from a period of emotional upheaval. All three sisters were single, and the music inhabits that unique liminal space where you're glad to be free, but not yet ready to start anew.
The themes follow departures and farewells. The sisters want love, but not the specific love they've experienced. You can hear them figuring out in real time who they are becoming.
"That's a perfect summary, yes," responds Danielle. "I Quit is kind of like a personal statement. You have to make an effort in shutting out the criticism and saying, 'I don't give what people think'."
Evolution of Sound
That recent resilience demanded a fresh approach – more organic and immediate than any of the music the band had done before.
For Danielle, who co-produced the album, that started with the percussion.
"Drums are such a specific thing, and I focus so intensely about it," she states.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the title of our book," quips Alana. "Our motto is, our albums don't start until we find the ideal drum sound."
Anecdotes and Shared Laughter
The band's candor inspired the album's marketing, where the sisters disclosed some of their dating tales.
A former partner 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 friendly slap at midnight.
"Experiencing these heartbreaks, you just feel like there's only darkness," says Alana. "Thus to be able to find humor in those stories and have them tell you wilder stories, it's incredible."
A Secure Path
One can easily sense a evolution in the band. These days, Haim are more confident of their place in the rock pantheon.
They're festival headliners, with chart-topping albums and an international audience.
Yet the sister act will always be their top priority.
"We have been playing music since I was a young child," shares Alana. "It's like no other path that we were supposed to do. And I'm really fortunate we've gotten here and we're still making music."