All Fans is Welcome to Be the Extra Haim Sisters Sister.
"Do you know when you'll be interviewing the Haim sisters?" an inquiry pops up. "My request was to ask if I can be their newest bandmate."
There's just one problem: The author likewise longs to be Haim's newest recruit. What's more, we are not alone. A host of celebrated admirers have openly begged for the position.
It's clear an irresistible appeal is at play. Sisters Este, Danielle and Alana launched their career performing shows at neighborhood delis with their parents. Today, they are repeated Grammy hopefuls.
In the tradition of the best bands, they're a close trio. Their videos often feature them walking in harmony down the avenues of Los Angeles. In concert, they jam with such boundless exuberance you can't help but think, "I want to be a piece of that, too."
"The amount of times on tour that audience members came up to us and said, 'Watching you live, I bought a guitar'," remarks Alana, the most junior of the trio. "It is the ultimate honour. That is recognition in itself. Our mission is accomplished if we can encourage others to make music."
"So all is invited to be the next part of the family."
Historic Recognition
The trio have called into a break, where they're resting up after an lengthy tour in support of their latest album, I Quit.
They're currently processing the news it's been nominated for best rock album at the Grammy Awards – with Haim the first all-woman band ever in contention for the award.
"I follow the nominations every year, so it almost feels like a surreal movie when your name is called," explains Alana. "I needed to phone my sisters to say, 'Did we just hear this right or am I hallucinating'?"
The weight of the honor isn't lost on the sisters.
"We really set out to make a rock record this time, so it's a major step," adds Alana. "Yet we're just grateful for the women that inspired us."
Personal Turmoil and Humour
The album was born from a time of emotional upheaval. All three sisters found themselves single, and the music captures that unique in-between place where you're happy to be free, but not quite ready to move on.
The words track departures and partings. The sisters seek love, but not the specific love they've got. You can hear them working out in real time who they aspire to be.
"I love description, yes," says Danielle. "I Quit is kind of like a slogan. You have to actively work on ignoring the outside opinions and saying, 'It doesn't matter to me what people think'."
Development of Sound
That recent resilience called for a new sound – more raw and immediate than any of the music the band had done before.
For Danielle, who helped produce the album, that was founded on the percussion.
"Drums are 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," laughs Alana. "I've said it, our albums cannot begin until we find the perfect drum sound."
Anecdotes and Shared Camaraderie
The band's openness fueled the album's marketing, where the sisters shared some of their romantic misadventures.
One man left Este over a medical concern. Alana recalled 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 breakups, you just feel like there's no hope," explains Alana. "So to be able to find humor in those stories and hear others tell you more outrageous stories, it's incredible."
A Confident Future
You can clearly sense a change in the band. Now, Haim are more confident of their place in the industry.
They're festival headliners, with successful albums and an worldwide following.
Yet the sister act will forever be their primary commitment.
"Me and my siblings have been playing music since I was little," shares Alana. "It feels as if nothing else that we were destined for. And I'm really fortunate we've made it and we're still making music."