The World Are Invited to Join as the Additional Haim Sister.
"Do you know when you'll be speaking to the band?" an inquiry pops up. "I was hoping to ask if I can be their newest bandmate."
There's just a key snag: The author likewise longs to be Haim's additional sibling. What's more, we are in plentiful company. A host of high-profile fans have also coveted the position.
One thing is obvious an irresistible appeal is at play. The siblings Este, Danielle and Alana began their musical journey playing gigs at local delicatessens with their family. Now they're multiple Grammy nominees.
Like all the greatest groups, they're a close unit. Their music videos repeatedly feature them marching in unison down the roads of Los Angeles. In concert, they play with such unfettered exuberance you find yourself thinking, "I'd love to be involved in that, too."
"The numerous instances on tour that young girls approached us and said, 'After your show, I picked up a bass'," says Alana, the youngest of the sisters. "It is the ultimate compliment. That's an award in itself. We have succeeded if we can encourage others to make music."
"And thus anyone are welcome to be the next Haim sister."
Award Recognition
The band have called into their homes, where they're taking a pause after an lengthy tour in promoting their fourth album, I Quit.
They're currently reeling from the news it's been shortlisted for best rock album at the Grammys – with Haim the first all-female band ever in contention for the prize.
"I watch the lists every year, so it kind of feels like an out-of-body experience when your name is announced," says Alana. "I immediately called my sisters to say, 'Am I hearing this correctly or am I dreaming'?"
The weight of the nomination is deeply felt by the band.
"We really set out to make a rock record this time, so it's a major achievement," continues Alana. "However we're just appreciative for the women that paved the way."
Emotional Upheaval and Laughter
The album was born from a period of emotional upheaval. All three sisters found themselves single, and the music explores that unique transitional period where you're relieved to be free, but not entirely ready to start anew.
The themes track endings 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 are becoming.
"I adore summary, yes," responds Danielle. "I Quit is essentially a slogan. You have to actively work on blocking the outside opinions and saying, 'I don't give what people think'."
Refinement of Sound
That newfound resilience required a different sonic direction – more unpolished and direct than anything the band had done before.
For Danielle, who worked on producing the album, that began with the drums.
"Percussion is such a detailed thing, and I am so passionate about it," she states.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the title of our biography," jokes Alana. "I've said it, our albums don't start until we find the perfect drum sound."
Anecdotes and Collective Humor
The trio's honesty fueled the album's marketing, where the sisters revealed some of their personal horror stories.
Someone left Este over a health consideration. Alana told a story of travelling to celebrate New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a friendly slap at midnight.
"Experiencing these breakups, you just feel like there's no hope," notes Alana. "Thus to be able to laugh at those stories and hear others tell you even crazier stories, it's incredible."
A Secure Future
One can easily sense a evolution in the band. Today, Haim are more confident of their place in the music world.
They're top-billed acts, with chart-topping albums and an global following.
Yet the sister act will consistently be their primary commitment.
"My sisters and I have been performing since I was little," says Alana. "It feels as if no other path that we were supposed to do. And I'm really fortunate we've reached this point and we're still going strong."
