Everyone is Encouraged to Be the Extra Haim Sisters Sister.
"Any idea when you're speaking to the band?" a message pops up. "I wanted to ask if I can join as their extra sister."
There's just one problem: The sender also desires to be the Haims' newest recruit. Furthermore, we are far from alone. A host of famous fans have publicly coveted the role.
One thing is obvious an irresistible appeal is at play. Sisters Este, Danielle and Alana launched their path doing sets at small eateries with their parents. Presently, they stand as repeated Grammy hopefuls.
In the tradition of the best groups, they're a inseparable unit. Their videos repeatedly feature them marching in sync down the streets of Los Angeles. On stage, they jam with such unfettered happiness you can't help but think, "I'd love to be a piece of that, too."
"The amount of times on tour that fans came up to us and said, 'Seeing you perform, I picked up a guitar'," says Alana, the most junior of the sisters. "That is the greatest honour. That is recognition in itself. Our mission is accomplished if we can motivate people to form a group."
"Therefore all is invited to be the fourth Haim sister."
Historic Milestone
The trio have called into home, where they're taking a pause after an major tour in support of their fourth album, I Quit.
They're currently celebrating the news it's been shortlisted for a top rock honor at the Grammy Awards – with Haim the first all-woman band ever in contention for the award.
"I watch the announcements every year, so it sort of feels like The Truman Show when your name is called," says Alana. "I immediately called my sisters to say, 'Did I hear this correctly or am I dreaming'?"
The importance of the accolade isn't lost on the band.
"We really set out to make a guitar-driven album this time, so it's a significant step," continues Alana. "However we're just thankful for the female artists that paved the way."
Emotional Upheaval and Humour
The record was born from a period of personal change. All three sisters were single, and the music inhabits that odd liminal space where you're happy to be free, but not quite ready to start anew.
The lyrics detail breakups and farewells. The sisters seek love, but not the relationships they've had. You can hear them working out in real life who they are becoming.
"I adore description, yes," responds Danielle. "I Quit is like a personal statement. You have to actively work on shutting out the criticism and saying, 'It doesn't matter to me what people think'."
Refinement of Music
That recent toughness demanded 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 drum sound.
"Drums are such a specific thing, and I am so passionate about it," she says.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the subject of our memoir," jokes Alana. "Our motto is, our albums cannot begin until we find the perfect drum sound."
Experiences and Collective Humor
The trio's honesty fueled the album's rollout, where the sisters revealed some of their personal horror stories.
One man left Este over a medical consideration. Alana recalled a story of travelling to spend New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a high five at midnight.
"Experiencing these heartbreaks, you just feel like there's only darkness," explains Alana. "Thus to be able to find humor in those stories and have them tell you more outrageous stories, it's therapeutic."
A Confident Legacy
You can clearly sense a evolution in the band. Now, Haim are more assured of their standing in the music world.
They're major draws, with chart-topping albums and an global following.
Yet the band will always be their number one focus.
"My sisters and I have been making music since I was a young child," shares Alana. "It's like nothing else that we were destined for. And I'm really fortunate we've made it and we're still going strong."