The World is Encouraged to Be the Fourth Haim Sisters Bandmate.
"Do you know when you'll be interviewing the Haim sisters?" an inquiry pops up. "I wanted to ask if I can join as their fourth member."
There's just one problem: The sender also longs to be Haim's fourth member. Furthermore, we are far from alone. Several high-profile admirers have openly begged for the position.
The evidence suggests an irresistible appeal is at play. The siblings Este, Danielle and Alana started their path performing shows at local delicatessens with their family. Presently, they stand as multiple Grammy Award hopefuls.
Like all the most iconic bands, they're a close unit. Their visuals repeatedly depict them striding in sync down the streets of Los Angeles. On stage, they play with such pure joy you can't help but think, "I wish to be involved in that, too."
"The amount of times on tour that fans told us and said, 'Watching you live, I picked up a guitar'," remarks Alana, the most junior of the sisters. "That is the biggest compliment. It is a prize in itself. We've done our job if we can motivate others to start a band."
"So anyone is invited to be the honorary member of Haim."
Award Milestone
The trio have called into their homes, where they're taking a pause after an lengthy tour in promoting their new album, I Quit.
They're currently reeling from the news it's been in the running for best rock album at the Grammy Awards – with Haim the pioneering female band ever in consideration for the award.
"I follow the announcements every year, so it kind of feels like The Truman Show when your name is announced," explains Alana. "I needed to phone my sisters to say, 'Am I hearing this right or am I hallucinating'?"
The significance of the accolade isn't lost on the trio.
"We truly set out to make a rock album this time, so it's a significant step," continues Alana. "Yet we're just thankful for the pioneers that paved the way."
Personal Turmoil and Candor
The project was born from a time of personal change. All three sisters found themselves single, and the music captures that strange liminal space where you're glad to be free, but not yet ready to let go.
The themes detail departures and farewells. The sisters seek love, but not the kind of love they've experienced. You can hear them determining in the moment who they aspire to be.
"I adore way of putting it, yes," agrees Danielle. "I Quit is essentially a slogan. You have to consciously practice shutting out the outside opinions and saying, 'I don't give what people think'."
Evolution of Style
That newfound resilience demanded a new sound – more unpolished and powerful than any of the music the band had done before.
For Danielle, who co-produced the album, that was founded on the percussion.
"Drums are such a detailed thing, and I focus so intensely about it," she states.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the subject of our biography," laughs Alana. "I've said it, our albums cannot begin until we find the right drum sound."
Anecdotes and Shared Camaraderie
The band's candor shaped the album's rollout, where the sisters revealed some of their personal tales.
One man left Este over a health concern. Alana recalled a story of flying to spend New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a casual gesture at midnight.
"Experiencing these breakups, you just feel like there's no hope," explains Alana. "Therefore to be able to laugh at those stories and hear others tell you even crazier stories, it's therapeutic."
An Assured Legacy
You can clearly sense a shift in the band. Today, Haim are more certain of their place in the rock pantheon.
They're festival headliners, with successful albums and an worldwide following.
However the band will always be their number one focus.
"We have been playing music since I was little," shares Alana. "It feels as if no other path that we were meant to do. And I'm really thankful we've gotten here and we're still going strong."