All Fans Are Welcome to Become the Additional Haim Sisters Bandmate.
"When are you speaking to the band?" a message arrives. "I was hoping to ask if I can become their newest bandmate."
There is only one problem: The sender also longs to be the Haims' newest recruit. Furthermore, we are in plentiful company. A host of high-profile fans have openly begged for the honor.
One thing is obvious something is happening. The siblings Este, Danielle and Alana started their path doing sets at neighborhood delis with their family. Today, they are multi-time Grammy nominees.
Like all the best bands, they're a inseparable unit. Their music videos often show them walking in sync down the streets of Los Angeles. In concert, they perform with such unfettered joy you find yourself thinking, "I'd love to be involved in that, too."
"The amount of times on tour that fans told us and said, 'After your show, I bought a drum kit'," says Alana, the most junior of the Haim siblings. "It is the ultimate compliment. That's an award in itself. Our mission is accomplished if we can encourage others to form a group."
"And thus everyone are welcome to be the honorary member of Haim."
Historic Milestone
The band are connecting from a break, where they're recovering after an extensive tour in support of their new album, I Quit.
They're currently reeling from the news it's been shortlisted for a top rock honor at the Grammy Awards – with Haim the pioneering all-woman band ever in consideration for the trophy.
"I watch the lists every year, so it sort of feels like The Truman Show when your name is called," says Alana. "I had to call my sisters to say, 'Did I hear this right or am I dreaming'?"
The weight of the accolade resonates with the sisters.
"We really set out to make a rock album this time, so it's a significant step," says Alana. "However we're just thankful for the women that paved the way."
Emotional Upheaval and Laughter
The project was born from a period of emotional upheaval. All three sisters found themselves single, and the music inhabits that odd transitional period where you're relieved to be free, but not entirely ready to start anew.
The lyrics follow endings and goodbyes. The sisters want love, but not the relationships they've experienced. You can hear them working out in real time who they are becoming.
"That's a perfect description, yes," says Danielle. "I Quit is kind of like a slogan. You have to make an effort in shutting out the noise and saying, 'I don't give what people think'."
Refinement of Music
That newfound resilience demanded a new sound – more organic and immediate than any of the music the band had done before.
For Danielle, who helped produce the album, that started with the percussion.
"Drums are such a nuanced thing, and I am so passionate about it," she says.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the title of our biography," quips Alana. "Our motto is, our albums won't commence until we find the perfect drum sound."
Anecdotes and Shared Laughter
The trio's candor inspired the album's promotional campaign, where the sisters revealed some of their romantic misadventures.
Someone ended things with Este over a medical concern. Alana recalled a story of flying to spend New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a high five at midnight.
"Experiencing these setbacks, you just feel like there's no hope," says Alana. "Therefore to be able to find humor in those stories and hear others tell you more outrageous stories, it's incredible."
A Secure Legacy
One can easily sense a evolution in the band. Today, Haim are more confident of their place in the rock pantheon.
They're top-billed acts, with successful albums and an international fan base.
Yet the band will forever be their primary commitment.
"We have been performing since I was a young child," concludes Alana. "It's like no alternative that we were supposed to do. And I'm really fortunate we've reached this point and we're still making music."