All Fans is Invited to Join as the Extra Haim Sister.
"Any idea when you're chatting with the band?" a message pops up. "I was hoping to ask if I can become their fourth member."
There's just a single issue: The sender also wants to be Haim's additional sibling. Furthermore, we are not alone. Multiple high-profile fans have publicly petitioned for the role.
One thing is obvious something is at play. Sisters Este, Danielle and Alana started their path performing shows at local delicatessens with their parents. Presently, they stand as multiple Grammy hopefuls.
In the tradition of the greatest bands, they're a tight-knit gang. Their videos repeatedly show them striding in unison down the streets of Los Angeles. During performances, they perform with such pure happiness you inevitably think, "I want to be involved in that, too."
"How often 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 sisters. "That is the greatest honor. It is a prize in itself. We've done our job if we can encourage others to form a group."
"Therefore all are welcome to be the honorary member of Haim."
Grammy Milestone
The band have called into a break, where they're resting up after an lengthy tour in promoting their latest album, I Quit.
They're currently celebrating the news it's been nominated for Best Rock Album at the Grammy Awards – with Haim the pioneering female band ever in contention for the prize.
"I follow the announcements every year, so it almost feels like The Truman Show when your name is read out," notes Alana. "I had to call my sisters to say, 'Am I hearing this correctly or am I hallucinating'?"
The importance of the accolade is deeply felt by the trio.
"We truly set out to make a rock record this time, so it's a huge milestone," adds Alana. "However we're just appreciative for the female artists that inspired us."
Heartbreak and Humour
The project came out of a phase of emotional upheaval. All three sisters found themselves single, and the music explores that odd transitional period where you're relieved to be free, but not entirely ready to start anew.
The themes track endings and partings. The sisters seek love, but not the kind of love they've got. You can hear them working out in real time who they are becoming.
"I adore summary, yes," says Danielle. "I Quit is like a mantra. You have to actively work on shutting out the outside opinions and saying, 'I don't give what people think'."
Refinement of Style
That recent toughness required a fresh approach – more organic and immediate than any of the music the band had done before.
For Danielle, who worked on producing the album, that started with the drums.
"The drum sound is such a specific thing, and I care so much about it," she says.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the title of our biography," laughs Alana. "Our motto is, our albums won't commence until we find the ideal drum sound."
Stories and Shared Humor
The band's openness inspired the album's promotional campaign, where the sisters shared some of their romantic tales.
One man left Este over a health concern. Alana recalled a story of flying to celebrate 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," says Alana. "Therefore to be able to share those stories and have them tell you more outrageous stories, it's therapeutic."
A Confident Future
You can clearly sense a evolution in the band. Today, Haim are more certain of their standing in the industry.
They're top-billed acts, with successful albums and an international fan base.
Yet the sister act will forever be their number one commitment.
"We have been performing since I was a young child," concludes Alana. "It's like nothing else that we were supposed to do. And I'm really fortunate we've made it and we're still kicking."