Everyone is Invited to Be the Fourth Haim Sisters Member.
"When are you chatting with the Haim sisters?" a message pops up. "I wanted to ask if I can become their extra sister."
There's just a single issue: I also wants to be Haim's newest recruit. And we're far from alone. Several celebrated supporters have also petitioned for the position.
The evidence suggests something is going on. The siblings Este, Danielle and Alana launched their musical journey performing shows at neighborhood delis with their family. Now they're multi-time Grammy Award nominees.
In the tradition of the best ensembles, they're a inseparable unit. Their visuals repeatedly show them marching in unison down the avenues of Los Angeles. During performances, they play with such unfettered joy you inevitably think, "I want to be a piece of that, too."
"How often on tour that fans told us and said, 'After your show, I bought a bass'," says Alana, the youngest of the Haim siblings. "That is the greatest compliment. It is a prize in itself. Our mission is accomplished if we can motivate people to make music."
"Therefore everyone is invited to be the fourth Haim sister."
Grammy Milestone
The trio are connecting from their homes, where they're recovering after an lengthy tour in promoting their new album, I Quit.
They're presently celebrating the news it's been in the running for Best Rock Album at the Grammy Awards – with Haim the pioneering female band ever in the running for the prize.
"I follow the nominations every year, so it almost feels like The Truman Show when your name is called," notes Alana. "I had to call my sisters to say, 'Did I hear this right or am I imagining things'?"
The weight of the nomination isn't lost on the trio.
"We truly set out to make a rock record this time, so it's a major milestone," adds Alana. "But we're just grateful for the pioneers that paved the way."
Personal Turmoil and Candor
The project came out of a time of transition. All three sisters were single, and the music captures that strange transitional period where you're glad to be free, but not entirely ready to let go.
The words follow breakups and farewells. The sisters desire love, but not the kind of love they've got. You can hear them working out in the moment who they are becoming.
"That's a perfect summary, yes," says Danielle. "I Quit is essentially a slogan. You have to actively work on shutting out the noise and saying, 'I don't give what people think'."
Evolution of Music
That newfound resilience required a fresh approach – more unpolished and direct than anything the band had done before.
For Danielle, who co-produced the album, that started with the percussion.
"The drum sound is such a specific thing, and I am so passionate about it," she emphasizes.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the title of our memoir," quips Alana. "I've said it, our albums don't start until we find the perfect drum sound."
Stories and Collective Humor
The trio's openness inspired the album's rollout, where the sisters shared some of their romantic misadventures.
One man ended things with Este over a medical concern. Alana recalled a story of flying 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 no light," explains Alana. "Thus to be able to laugh at those stories and have them tell you more outrageous stories, it's therapeutic."
An Assured Path
It's not difficult sense a change in the band. These days, Haim are more certain of their standing in the industry.
They're major draws, with successful albums and an international following.
However Haim will consistently be their primary priority.
"My sisters and I have been playing music since I was four," shares Alana. "It's like nothing else that we were meant to do. And I'm really grateful we've gotten here and we're still making music."
