All Fans is Encouraged to Join as the Additional Haim Sisters Bandmate.
"Do you know when you'll be chatting with the band?" an inquiry arrives. "I wanted to ask if I can be their extra sister."
There is only one problem: The author likewise wants to be Haim's newest recruit. And we're in plentiful company. A host of celebrated supporters have publicly petitioned for the honor.
It's clear a special quality is happening. The siblings Este, Danielle and Alana began their musical journey doing sets at small eateries with their parents. Presently, they stand as multi-time Grammy contenders.
Similar to the best ensembles, they're a inseparable gang. Their visuals repeatedly depict them striding in harmony down the avenues of Los Angeles. In concert, they perform with such unfettered joy you inevitably think, "I want to be a piece of that, too."
"How often on tour that fans came up to us and said, 'Watching you live, I bought a drum kit'," says Alana, the most junior of the sisters. "That is the biggest compliment. That is recognition in itself. Our mission is accomplished if we can inspire people to form a group."
"Therefore everyone gets an invitation to be the honorary Haim sister."
Award Milestone
The band have called into home, where they're resting up after an extensive tour in support of their fourth album, I Quit.
They're presently reeling from the news it's been shortlisted for a top rock honor at the Grammys – with Haim the very first all-female band ever in contention for the award.
"I follow the announcements every year, so it kind of feels like a surreal movie when your name is announced," explains Alana. "I needed to phone my sisters to say, 'Did we just hear this right or am I imagining things'?"
The significance of the accolade resonates with the band.
"We deliberately set out to make a rock record this time, so it's a huge step," adds Alana. "But we're just thankful for the female artists that inspired us."
Emotional Upheaval and Laughter
The project emerged from a period of personal change. All three sisters were single, and the music captures that odd liminal space where you're relieved to be free, but not quite ready to let go.
The words track endings and farewells. The sisters want love, but not the relationships they've experienced. You can hear them determining in real life who they aspire to be.
"That's a perfect description, yes," agrees Danielle. "I Quit is kind of like a personal statement. You have to actively work on ignoring the criticism and saying, 'It doesn't matter to me what people think'."
Development of Music
That developed resilience called for a different sonic direction – more unpolished and direct than anything the band had done before.
For Danielle, who worked on producing the album, that started with the percussion.
"Drums are such a nuanced thing, and I care so much about it," she emphasizes.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the title of our biography," jokes Alana. "Our motto is, our albums cannot begin until we find the perfect drum sound."
Stories and Collective Laughter
The trio's honesty fueled the album's marketing, where the sisters shared some of their romantic horror stories.
A former partner broke up with Este over a medical consideration. Alana shared a story of travelling to celebrate New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a high five at midnight.
"When you're going through these heartbreaks, you just feel like there's no hope," notes Alana. "Therefore to be able to laugh at those stories and hear others tell you even crazier stories, it's so amazing."
A Confident Legacy
One can easily sense a shift in the band. Now, Haim are more assured of their standing in the rock pantheon.
They're major draws, with successful albums and an international fan base.
However Haim will consistently be their primary commitment.
"We have been making music since I was little," concludes Alana. "It feels as if nothing else that we were destined for. And I'm really fortunate we've gotten here and we're still making music."
